Conservative activists Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman have agreed to pay up to $1.25 million to settle a lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James over a robocall campaign aimed at deterring Black voters from voting by mail in the 2020 election. A New York judge found them liable for violating federal and state law by orchestrating a voter suppression operation. Under the settlement, they will pay a $1 million judgment to James’ office, the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, and individuals targeted in the campaign. The amount could increase to $1.25 million if they fail to pay at least $105,000 by the end of the year.
James’ office alleges that Wohl and Burkman used misinformation in a wide-reaching robocall campaign to dissuade Black voters from voting by mail. One call falsely claimed that submitting a mail-in ballot would put personal information into a public database accessible to police departments and debt collection companies. Another claim was that the government was using mail-in voting records to track people for mandatory vaccines. The settlement is still pending court approval, but Wohl and Burkman’s attorney said they are pleased to put the case behind them.
Burkman, a conservative activist and founder of a lobbying firm, and Wohl, his 26-year-old associate, are known for spreading conspiracy theories and making outlandish accusations against Trump’s political rivals. Burkman has been involved in spreading false conspiracy theories about the murder of DNC staffer Seth Rich and making baseless claims against former Special Counsel Robert Mueller. The robocall campaign is just the latest legal trouble for the duo, who pleaded guilty to telecommunications fraud in Ohio in 2022 and were ordered to register low- and middle-income voters. Burkman lost his law license following that conviction.
In the midst of the pandemic, mail-in voting became a critical option for voters to cast their ballots without going to the polls in person. However, former President Donald Trump and his supporters frequently targeted mail-in voting, claiming without evidence that it was rife with fraud. The robocall campaign reached 5,500 New Yorkers, according to James’ office. The settlement represents a significant outcome in holding Wohl and Burkman accountable for their efforts to suppress Black voter turnout in the 2020 election. The lawsuit and subsequent settlement highlight the importance of protecting voting rights and ensuring that all eligible voters have the opportunity to participate in the democratic process without facing misinformation or intimidation tactics.
