Republican operatives Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman are charged with intimidating voters with robocalls that falsely warned of 'arrest, debt collection or forced vaccination' if they vote by mail
Two conservative operatives were charged Thursday with felonies in connection to robocalls that aimed to dissuade residents in Detroit and other US cities from voting by mail, Michigan's attorney general announced.
Jacob Wohl, 22, and Jack Burkman, 54, each face four felony counts in Detroit, including conspiring to intimidate voters in violation of election law and using a computer to commit crimes, Attorney General Dana Nessel said.
The calls falsely warned thousands of residents in Detroit and urban areas in at least four other states – New York, California, Pennsylvania and Ohio - that voting by mail in the November 3 election could subject people to arrest, debt collection and forced vaccination.
In total, at least 85,000 calls were believed to have been made across the nation.
The men, who have a history of staging hoaxes and spreading false smears against prominent Democrats and government officials, are not in custody and no date for their arraignments has been set.
Jacob Wohl (pictured left with Trumo), 22, and Jack Burkman (right), 54, each face four felony counts in Detroit, including conspiring to intimidate voters in violation of election law and using a computer to commit crimes
The calls falsely warned thousands of residents in Detroit and urban areas in at least four other states – New York, California, Pennsylvania and Ohio - that voting by mail in the November 3 election could subject people to arrest, debt collection and forced vaccination (file photo)
Nessel said her office would work with local law enforcement to secure their appearances if necessary, saying the men could face arrest and extradition or could voluntarily come to Michigan to face the charges.
A judge found probable cause Thursday to support the charges, which carry the potential for years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines upon conviction. The computer charges carry up to seven years apiece while election law violations could bring up to five in all.
The robocalls falsely claimed that voting by mail would put voters into a database that would later ‘be used by credit card companies to collect outstanding debt’ and force voters to ‘get mandatory vaccines.’
The voice on the robocall in question identified itself as part of ‘a civil rights organization founded by Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl.’
‘Don't be finessed into giving your private information to the man,’ the caller said. ‘Beware of vote by mail.’
Nessel's office warned the public about the calls and launched an investigation in late August after thousands of Detroit residents received them.
Wohl and Burkman both denied involvement at the time. Burkman didn't immediately reply to a Thursday voicemail seeking comment about the charges and Wohl didn't immediately reply to an email.
Nessel said her office would work with local law enforcement to secure their appearances if necessary, saying the men could face arrest and extradition or could voluntarily come to Michigan to face the charges
Nessel said the investigation found that Burkman and Wohl created and funded the robocalls in an attempt to deter voters of color from participating in the November election.
Michigan is a key battleground state that Trump narrowly won in 2016 in part due to a drop in turnout for Hillary Clinton in heavily Democratic Detroit. In Michigan, voters can cast an absentee ballot for any reason, either by mailing it in, dropping it off or filling one out at a clerk's office.
‘We´re all well aware of the frustrations caused by the millions of nuisance robocalls flooding our cellphones and landlines each day, but this particular message poses grave consequences for our democracy and the principles upon which it was built,’ Nessel said. ‘Michigan voters are entitled to a full, free and fair election in November, and my office will not hesitate to pursue those who jeopardize that.’
Nessel said 85,000 calls were believed to have been made across the nation. She said nearly 12,000 residents in the 313 area code received the calls in Detroit, and that similar calls also blanketed urban pockets of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois and New York.
The Attorney General encouraged anyone who received such a call to file a complaint with her office.
Wohl has been banned from most social networks, including Twitter and Instagram, for operating fake accounts and peddling misinformation.
Along with Burkman, the pair have made a name for themselves for orchestrating political dirty tricks and hoaxes on President Donald Trump's political opponents.
The stunts often attempt to paint their designated targets as rapists, criminals or deviants – even frequently using hired actors who were unaware that they were being used for political stunts.
Such failed schemes have targeted the likes of vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris, former special counsel Robert Mueller and Elizabeth Warren, each with elaborate conspiracy theories which were all discredited almost as quickly as they arose.
Just last month, the Washington Post said that it was duped into falsely reporting that FBI agents had conducted a raid at Burkman’s home in Arlington, Virginia, when it was actually a staged event featuring actors.
Wohl and Burkman have a history of supporting President Donald Trump and attacking his political opponents, often attempting to pain them as rapists, criminals or deviants – even frequently using hired actors who were unaware that they were being used for political stunts
Wohl (above) has been banned from most social networks, including Twitter and Instagram, for operating fake accounts and peddling misinformation
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, like Nessel a Democrat, in August called the robocalling effort ‘an unconscionable, indefensible, blatant attempt to lie to citizens about their right to vote.’
She praised Nessel for a swift investigation Thursday, saying the charges show the state will ‘use every tool at our disposal to dispel false rhetoric’ and protect voting rights.
Investigators served search warrants in California, where Wohl lives in Los Angeles, as part of the inquiry last week, Nessel said.
In August, Wohl told The Associated Press that they suspected ‘leftist pranksters’ were behind the robocalls because recipients were shown a caller ID that was Burkman´s mobile number. Burkman called the situation ‘a joke,’ saying nobody would use their mobile number for a robocall and threatening to sue Benson for defamation.
This isn't the first time the two have come under scrutiny in Michigan.
Last year, a Michigan college student said the duo recruited him to falsely claim he was raped by Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg and then published the smear without the student's permission.
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