The two conservative political operatives, Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman, have agreed to pay up to $1.25 million in a settlement with the state of New York for orchestrating a robocall campaign aimed at dissuading Black people from voting in the 2020 election. The robocalls targeted phone numbers in predominantly Black neighborhoods in several states, spreading misinformation about voting by mail and potential consequences for those who chose to do so. Wohl and Burkman pleaded guilty to felony telecommunications fraud in Ohio and were sued in New York by a civil rights organization and individuals who received the calls.
Prosecutors stated that the robocalls were sent to approximately 85,000 people across the U.S., including around 5,500 phone numbers with New York area codes, at a time when officials were promoting mail-in voting due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the lawsuit, Wohl and Burkman’s attorneys argued that the calls were protected by the First Amendment and denied targeting specific ethnicities or attempting to discourage people from voting. The settlement mandates that Wohl and Burkman pay $1 million to the plaintiffs, with the sum increasing to $1.25 million if they fail to meet a payment deadline. They have the option to reduce the total payment to about $400,000 by meeting specific payment deadlines over the next few years.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, emphasized the importance of protecting the right to vote and condemned Wohl and Burkman for their disinformation campaign aimed at intimidating Black voters. The settlement also requires the two operatives to notify the attorney general’s office before engaging in any lobbying or political campaigning in New York and to submit future election-related mass communication efforts for review before public dissemination. Wohl and Burkman have a history of staging hoaxes and spreading false accusations against Democrats and other government officials. In 2019, they were accused of recruiting a college student to falsely claim he was raped by then-Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg.
The settlement with Wohl and Burkman signals a significant victory in holding individuals accountable for attempts to manipulate the democratic process through deceptive tactics. By imposing financial penalties and restrictions on their future activities, the state of New York aims to deter similar attempts to disenfranchise voters in future elections. The case highlights the ongoing challenges of combating disinformation and voter suppression, especially when targeting marginalized communities. Moving forward, it is crucial for authorities to remain vigilant in protecting the integrity of elections and upholding the right to vote for all citizens.
