Mich. Properly Applied Voter Intimidation Law to Prosecute 2020 Robocallers: AG

The Michigan Supreme Court ruled that the state properly applied a state voter intimidation law to bring criminal charges against defendants Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman for their roles in the robocall campaign to suppress Black citizens' mail-in votes in the run-up to the 2020 election, said the office of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (D) in a news release Thursday. The ruling remanded the case to the Michigan Court of Appeals for consideration of the criminal charges, it said. “This voter intimidation law is a vital protection for Michigan voters and proponents of a participatory democracy,” said Nessel. “Intentionally false statements to deceive any Michigan voter from exercising their rights at the ballot box are illegal,” she said. “I’m grateful to have this ruling make that abundantly clear, especially as we head toward another presidential election this autumn. We look forward to continuing with the criminal case and bringing this matter to trial.” U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero for Southern New York in Manhattan granted summary judgment against Wohl and Burkman in a 111-page order he signed in March 2023 (see 2303090003). Marrero found that Wohl and Burkman “set into motion a full-scale voter suppression operation during the summer of 2020 to discourage eligible voters from voting” by targeting mail-in votes in Black neighborhoods in Atlanta, Charlotte, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Richmond. Wohl and Burkman were to face an April 15 jury trial on summary judgment damages, but they and the 10 plaintiffs in the case agreed to a consent decree that averted the trial with a week to spare (see 2404090022).