Michigan Court of Appeals Advances Election Fraud Case Against Two Men
In a significant legal development, the Michigan Court of Appeals has given the green light for election fraud charges to proceed against two individuals accused of using robocalls to mislead voters in Detroit. This move follows accusations that the robocalls were designed to spread false information during the 2020 election cycle.
The controversial robocalls warned voters that mail-in ballots could be exploited for tracking individuals with outstanding warrants, collecting debts, and even mandating COVID-19 vaccinations, as evidenced by automated call records. The message explicitly advised, “Don’t be finessed into giving your private information to ‘the man,’’’ urging recipients to steer clear of vote-by-mail options.
The appellate court’s decision hinged on whether the calls constituted voter intimidation, with the majority opinion affirming that fabricating threats to deter voting by mail aligns with such a definition. This judgment follows a directive from the Michigan Supreme Court, which previously determined that misleading voters about mail-in voting consequences could potentially amount to intimidation.
Attorney General Nessel expressed approval of the court’s stance, stating, “Voter intimidation infringes upon the fundamental right to vote.” She further remarked, “I am grateful the Court of Appeals saw this conduct for what it was—a gross misrepresentation of voting procedures meant to scare voters from participating in our elections.” Nessel remains committed to advancing the criminal proceedings to trial.
The individuals at the center of these allegations, Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl, are known for their far-right affiliations and the creation of Project 1599. They face charges of voter intimidation, among other related offenses, for targeting nearly 12,000 voters in Detroit with their robocall messages, as detailed in the official complaint.
Attempts to contact legal representatives for Burkman and Wohl were unsuccessful. Both men, hailing from Virginia and California respectively, have also been convicted in other states for related criminal activities, as reported by The New York Times.
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