Appeals Court Overturns Election Interference Conviction of Pro-Trump Social Media Influencer

Douglass Mackey, a pro-Trump social media influencer known as Ricky Vaughn, had his 2023 conviction for conspiracy to suppress Democratic voter turnout during the 2016 election overturned by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The three-judge panel unanimously ruled that prosecutors failed to prove Mackey knowingly conspired with others to influence the election, despite his posting of false memes suggesting voters could submit ballots by text message. The court emphasized that the government did not provide sufficient evidence of Mackey's agreement with others to interfere with voting rights, and no proof showed voters were actually influenced by his posts. Mackey had been sentenced to seven months in federal prison but was out on bail pending appeal. He celebrated the ruling on social media, stating the case's dismissal was a victory and indicating plans for further legal action. The case highlights the difficulty of prosecuting political misinformation under conspiracy laws, as well as First Amendment concerns about criminalizing satirical or false political speech.