FCC to fine robocallers who target Black voters
The Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday proposed fining two right-wing conspiracy theorists $5.1 million for making misleading robocalls to voters in Ohio and other states.
According to the commission, Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl made over 1,100 illegal calls to cell phones without the recipient’s consent – a violation of federal law – months before the 2020 election. The messages falsely told people that if they vote by mail, their information would be part of a database “used by police departments to track down old warrants and be used by credit card companies to collect outstanding debts.”
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s office worked with the FCC’S enforcement bureau to investigate the calls and helped uncover their source. In a tweet Wednesday, Yost said Wohl and Burkman were targeting Black voters and “attempting to suppress the Democratic vote with disinformation.”
“Their efforts failed,” he said. “This fine will cripple them, and send a warning to others (right or left) about similar conduct.”
The two men were indicted last year on charges of bribery and telecommunications fraud after authorities learned of thousands of calls made to people in Cleveland and East Cleveland ahead of the election. The case is pending in Cuyahoga County court.
“The right to vote is the most fundamental component of our nation’s democracy,” Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’malley said last year. “These individuals clearly infringed
“The right to vote is the most fundamental component of our nation’s democracy. These individuals clearly infringed upon that right in a blatant attempt to suppress votes and undermine the integrity of this election.”
upon that right in a blatant attempt to suppress votes and undermine the integrity of this election.”
Burkman and Wohl are known for peddling conspiracy theories about Democrats and have been accused of concocting false sexual assault allegations against Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Dr. Anthony Fauci and former special counsel Robert Mueller.
They will be able to respond to FCC’S proposed fine before it’s finalized.
Michael O’malley, Cuyahoga County prosecutor
Haley Bemiller is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.