Conservative activists and agitators Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman have each been charged with four felonies involving November’s elections, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Thursday.
Mr. Wohl, 22, and Mr. Burkman, 54, have each been charged with counts of intimidating voters and conspiracy to commit an election law violation, among other charges, Ms. Nessel announced.
The charges relate to an automated phone call, or robocall, made in their names recently which contained bogus claims and conspiracy theories about the mail-in voting process.
“This effort specifically targeted minority voters in an attempt to deter them from voting in the November election,” said Ms. Nessel, a Democrat who opened a probe into the robocall in August.
“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,” she added. “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.”
Nearly 12,000 people with phone numbers starting with 313, the area code for Detroit, received the robocall, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office said in a statement announcing the charges.
“Mail-in voting sounds great, but did you know that if you vote by mail your personal information will be part of a public database that will be used by police departments to track down old warrants and be used for credit card companies to collect outstanding debts?” a person identifying herself as Tomeka Taylor said in the robocall.
“Don’t be finessed into giving your private information to The Man to stay safe and be aware of vote-by-mail,” the person said.
Attorneys general offices in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois reported similar robocalls being made to residents in their states as well, Ms. Nessel’s office said in the statement that speculated the total number of people called may be in the tens of thousands.
Mr. Wohl, of Los Angeles, California, and Mr. Burkman, of Alexandria, Virginia, have collaborated several times before to promote baseless claims and conspiracy theories about various political figures.
In late 2018, the duo promoted unsubstantiated claims of sexual misconduct involving Robert Mueller, the special counsel leading the government’s investigation into President Trump at the time. They later pushed baseless allegations in 2019 involving Democrats including former White House hopefuls Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Sen. Kamala Harris of California, the current vice presidential nominee.
The pair recently made headlines last month after staging a bogus FBI raid outside the home of Mr. Burkman, a registered lobbyist who lives near Washington, D.C. Mr. Wohl caused another commotion days later when he used a megaphone to provoke mourners gathering outside the Supreme Court following the death of late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg.
Both men face counts of using a computer to commit the crime of election law and using a computer to commit the crime of conspiracy, in addition to the aforementioned felonies. Each is punishable by several years imprisonment upon conviction.
The Michigan Attorney General’s Office said it may seek their extradition — or ask local law enforcement for help apprehending them — if they do not voluntarily face the charges in person.
Messages requesting comment from Mr. Wohl and Mr. Burkman were not immediately returned Thursday evening.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.