Right-Wing Influencer Sentenced For Suppressing Hillary Clinton Votes, Judge Calls Actions 'Assault On Democracy'

In a landmark judgment, a right-wing social media influencer has been sentenced to seven months in federal prison for spreading misinformation and attempting to suppress voting in the 2016 U.S. Presidential elections.

What Happened: As per a report by Politico, Douglass Mackey, also known under the pseudonym Ricky Vaughn, was convicted for his part in a scheme aimed at discouraging Democratic turnout in the 2016 elections. Mackey was found guilty in March, following a trial in a Brooklyn federal court.

Prosecutors revealed that Mackey and his accomplices posted misleading information from September to November 2016, leading supporters of Democrat Hillary Clinton to believe they could vote for her via text or social media posts. Using his significant online following of 58,000 on Twitter, Mackey tweeted an image stating "Avoid the Line. Vote from Home. Text ‘Hillary' to 59925".

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U.S. Attorney Breon Peace described Mackey’s actions as “weaponizing disinformation to hinder targeted groups, including black and brown people and women, from participating in our democracy." Despite his lawyer’s appeal for leniency, Judge Ann M. Donnelly declined the request, labeling Mackey's actions as an “assault on our democracy.”

Why It Matters

The arrest and subsequent sentencing of Mackey are significant as they highlight the growing concern over the misuse of social media platforms to spread misinformation and influence elections. Mackey, who was arrested in Florida in January 2021, was charged with using social media to trick Clinton supporters into voting via text instead of casting an actual ballot, reported the Associated Press.

Photo Courtesy: Evan El-Amin On Shutterstock.com

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