Judge denies motion to dismiss felony charges in Michigan against 2 men accused of voter-suppression robocalls
DETROIT โ A judge has rejected a motion to quash information and dismiss a case against two men accused of orchestrating robocalls meant to discourage Michigan voters from voting by mail in the 2020 presidential election, making false claims. According to the Michigan Attorney Generalโs Office, the case remains pending in the Third Circuit Court against Jack Burkman, 54, and Jacob Wohl, 22. โI think that this does not qualify as... a violation of the First Amendment in this context,โ Van Houten said. AdAccording to officials, an investigation revealed that the robocalls had been reported in Detroit and a number of other cities across New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois. For Detroit, the calls specifically targeted residents -- nearly 12,000 -- with a 313 area code back in August.
Michigan attorney general warns of law enforcement scam calls
LANSING, Mich. โ Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is warning residents of scammers posing as law enforcement agencies or other companies, demanding payment for warrants or services via gift cards. โMake sure to be aware that no law enforcement agency will ever contact you by phone demanding that you pay, regardless of payment method, for your warrant to disappear. Spoofing allows scammers to disguise their actual phone numbers and instead show a local phone number on the caller ID. โThe framework of these scams โ whether itโs a law enforcement, grandparent, or tech support scam โ are always the same. AdTo report fraud or if you have a general consumer complaint, contact the Attorney Generalโs Consumer Protection Team online or by calling 877-765-8388.
Burkman, Wohl ordered to send corrective message to victims of US voter-intimidation robocall
Two right-wing political operatives at the center of a robocall scam in Detroit and other U.S. cities have been ordered to call their victims back with a corrective message. Jack Burkman, 54, from Arlington, Virginia and Jacob Wohl, 22, from Los Angeles were ordered by a U.S. district court Wednesday to issue โcurativeโ robocalls to individuals that were previously targeted by an alleged voter-intimidation scheme. Burkman and Wohl were arraigned in Michigan earlier this month. On Wednesday, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ordered Burkman and Wohl to issue a new robocall to correct the misinformation contained in the initial calls made in August. Not only did Defendants incite fears of these grim consequences, but they baselessly tied the prospects to mail-in voting.
Michigan AG: Burkman, Wohl arraigned on voter intimidation charges
DETROIT โ Two right-wing political operatives accused of voter intimidation in Michigan have turned themselves in to authorities in Detroit, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Thursday. Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl appeared virtually for arraignment on multiple felony charges in the 36th District Court in Detroit. Burkmanโs probable cause conference is scheduled for Oct. 15 and his preliminary exam is scheduled for Oct. 21 in front of Judge Roberta Archer. Wohlโs probable cause conference is scheduled for Oct. 15 and his preliminary exam is scheduled for Oct. 20 in front of Judge Kenneth King. Arraignments begin at 10:30 a.m., but Burkman and Wohl will be called to appear in order of the courtโs established list of cases.
How to report, stop political robocalls, texts
Political robocalls and texts are getting out of control, but there is a way to get them to stop -- for now. If you feel like youโve received a political scam call, itโs important you report it to local police and the Better Business Bureau who will track the areas being targeted. Weโre also seeing robocall scam calls. If you feel like youโve received a political scam call itโs important you report it to local police and the Better Business Bureau who will track the areas being targeted. If youโve been the victim of a robocall scam, report it on the BBB.org/ScamTracker.
2 conservative operatives charged with intimidating Michigan voters in robocall investigation
According to Nessel, 12,000 people with 313 area codes received the robocall in late August. The two men are each charged with four felonies for breaking election laws. โThese robocalls alone could impact who our next president is.โBurkman, who is from Virgina is a conservative lobbyist. Wohl, who is from Los Angeles, is known for promoting right-wing conspiracy theories and trying to smear prominent Democrats. โWe absolutely intend to defend voters in this state and to enforce the laws,โ Nessel said.
Jacob Wohl, Jack Burkman face felony charges in Michigan for alleged voter-suppression robocalls
DETROIT โ Two men are facing felony charges in Michigan after allegedly orchestrating robocalls meant to discourage voters from voting by mail in the presidential election by making false claims. According to officials, an investigation revealed that the robocalls have been reported in Detroit and a number of other cities across New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois. โAny effort to interfere with, intimidate or intentionally mislead Michigan voters will be met with swift and severe consequences,โ Nessel said. โThis effort specifically targeted minority voters in an attempt to deter them from voting in the November election. Read: Trust Index: Fact-checking claims about absentee voting made during Trump-Biden debateThe official charges against Burkman and Wohl can be viewed in the document below.
2 men face felony charges in Michigan for alleged voter-suppression robocalls
DETROIT โ Two men are facing felony charges in Michigan after allegedly orchestrating robocalls meant to discourage voters from voting by mail in the presidential election by making false claims. According to officials, an investigation revealed that the robocalls have been reported in Detroit and a number of other cities across New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois. โAny effort to interfere with, intimidate or intentionally mislead Michigan voters will be met with swift and severe consequences,โ Nessel said. โThis effort specifically targeted minority voters in an attempt to deter them from voting in the November election. Read: Trust Index: Fact-checking claims about absentee voting made during Trump-Biden debateThe official charges against Burkman and Wohl can be viewed in the document below.
Americans receiving record number of robocalls, report says
On Friday, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel unveiled a plan to crack down on illegal scam calls. The announcement came following a report that Americans received a record-breaking number of robocalls last month. This translates to over 182 million robocalls per day, or 2,115 per second. Last year, a Florida man was fined $120 million for setting up a program that made nearly 100 million robocalls between 2015 and 2016. On Friday, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel outlined a dozen initiatives to crack down on illegal robocalls.