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Appeals court throws out right-wing influencer’s conviction for 2016 election interference

EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, JUL 9 – The Second Circuit ruled there was insufficient evidence that Douglass Mackey knowingly conspired to suppress votes despite 5,000 people following his meme’s false instructions, court records show.

  • A federal appeals court overturned Douglass Mackey’s 2023 conspiracy conviction for spreading false memes during the 2016 presidential election.
  • Mackey was originally convicted for posting memes falsely instructing Democrats how to vote, which prosecutors said aimed to suppress votes.
  • A panel of three judges on the 2nd Circuit Court, including Chief Judge Debra Ann Livingston along with Reena Raggi and Beth Robinson, determined that the government did not sufficiently prove Mackey knowingly entered into a conspiracy agreement.
  • The panel stated that “the mere fact” of posting memes with intent to harm voting rights is insufficient without evidence of an agreement, and about 5,000 people followed the meme’s instructions according to trial testimony.
  • The court ordered a judgment of acquittal, prompting Mackey to thank supporters and threaten further legal action against the Justice Department.
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Townhall broke the news in Washington, United States on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.
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