(WWJ) A pair of nationally-known conservative activists have been charged in a robocall scam aimed at suppressing the vote in the November general election.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has charged Jacob Wohl, of California, and Jack Burkman, of Virgina, with four felonies in connection with the calls that went out in late August, to around 12,000 voters in Detroit.
They warned residents that voting absentee would allow them to be targeted by police, credit card companies and even health departments for mandatory vaccines.
Wohl and Burkman have been behind a series of recent hoaxes, according to authorities, including paying actors to dupe the Washington Post into reporting that there was an FBI raid on Wohl's home, and paying a man to accuse Democratic Presidential Candidate Pete Buttagiej of sexual assault.
Nessel said Wohl and Burkman had the gall to use their own names on the robocalls, targeting urban voters.
"I honestly think that they've gotten away with so many things for so long, they thought that no one would do anything, and they thought it wouldn't matter," Nessel told WWJ's Sandra McNeill. "Why not advertise who's out there trying to interfere with people's right to vote?"
Burkman, 54, and Wohl, 22, are each charged with:
• One count of election law – intimidating voters, a five-year felony;• One count of conspiracy to commit an election law violation, a five-year felony;• One count of using a computer to commit the crime of election law – intimidating voters, a seven-year felony; and• Using a computer to commit the crime of conspiracy, a seven-year felony.
The charges were filed Thursday n the 36th District Court in Detroit.
Arraignments are pending for both defendants.
“Any effort to interfere with, intimidate or intentionally mislead Michigan voters will be met with swift and severe consequences,” Nessel said. “This effort specifically targeted minority voters in an attempt to deter them from voting in the November election. We’re all well aware of the frustrations caused by the millions of nuisance robocalls flooding our cell phones and landlines each day, but this particular message poses grave consequences for our democracy and the principles upon which it was built. 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.”
The Attorney General encourages anyone in Michigan who received this call on or about Aug. 26 to contact her office by calling 517-335-7650.