EXCLUSIVE: Consultant in Alaska Senate complaint also worked for advocacy group backed by Arabella-Linked funds

A consultant who helped launch the campaign of Sen. Dan Sullivan’s same-name challenger also served on the board of a group spending against the Republican incumbent, according to a new federal election complaint alleging illegal coordination.

Amber Lee, the consultant at the center of the complaint, also serves as Alaska director for Protect Our Care, a health care advocacy group sponsored by major nonprofit funds historically serviced by Arabella Advisors.

Americans for Public Trust filed the complaint Tuesday against Daniel J. Sullivan’s campaign and the 907 Initiative. It alleges Lee’s overlapping roles resulted in prohibited, excessive and unreported contributions to the challenger’s campaign. The allegations have not been adjudicated by the Federal Election Commission.

The complaint cites campaign records showing Daniel J. Sullivan’s campaign owed Lee’s firm $4,380.41 for website and campaign consulting. It also cites Alaska corporate records identifying Lee as a director and secretary of the 907 Initiative.

The 907 Initiative has spent nearly $1.5 million opposing incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan this election cycle, including about $575,000 during the 90 days before Alaska’s August primary, according to figures cited in the complaint.

“‘Decoy’ Dan’s campaign should be immediately investigated for this apparent violation,” Americans for Public Trust Executive Director Caitlin Sutherland said.

Lee denied wrongdoing, telling the Alaska Beacon that she is an unpaid 907 Initiative board member, does not manage its independent expenditures and provided only “limited support” to Daniel J. Sullivan.

“This allegation misrepresents both my role and how independent expenditures operate,” Lee said.

The 907 Initiative also denied coordination. Executive Director Aubrey Wieber said the organization is “in full compliance with applicable campaign finance laws.”

Separately, Lee has worked with other Alaska political and advocacy organizations.

A September report from Alaska Influence Pipeline also detailed Lee’s work with other Alaska political organizations. Lee’s own firm lists Lottsfeldt Strategies among its clients. The report says Vote Alaska Before Party, a super PAC supporting Democrat Mary Peltola, also paid Lee’s firm for “PAC Strategy Consulting.” The report identifies longtime Democratic strategist Jim Lottsfeldt as the principal of Lottsfeldt Strategies and says he previously ran Put Alaska First, which opposed Sullivan during his 2014 Senate campaign.

Protect Our Care publicly identifies Lee as its Alaska representative and listed her as a participant in a July event outside Sen. Sullivan’s Anchorage office criticizing Republican health care policies.

Protect Our Care directs advocacy donations through the Sixteen Thirty Fund and tax-deductible educational donations through New Venture Fund. The Sixteen Thirty Fund describes itself as a fiscal sponsor for progressive causes. Both funds were historically serviced by Arabella Advisors.

Arabella announced last year that Sunflower Services would acquire its fiscal-sponsorship servicing business. New Venture Fund financed the acquisition with support from Windward Fund and Hopewell Fund.

Those relationships are separate from the conduct alleged in the FEC complaint. The records do not establish that Protect Our Care, Lottsfeldt Strategies, Vote Alaska Before Party, Peltola’s campaign, Arabella, Sunflower or the national funds participated in, directed or financed Daniel J. Sullivan’s candidacy or the alleged coordination.

Daniel J. Sullivan, a retired Petersburg teacher, finished third in the August primary with about 2.5% of the vote but remained in the race, putting two candidates named Dan Sullivan on the November ballot.