NEW YORK — New York state is taking legal action against two conservative activists, accusing them of paying to deploy thousands of deceptive robocalls during the 2020 election to suppress Black voter turnout.
Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday asked a federal judge for permission to join a suit filed earlier by the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation against the men, Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman.
The two allegedly paid a company to spread false rumors that mail-in voters would have their personal information sent to law enforcement, debt collectors and the government, in violation of civil rights laws. Separately, Wohl and Burkman face criminal charges of election fraud in Ohio and Michigan over similar allegations. They deny wrongdoing.
Randy Kleinman, a lawyer for the men, didn’t immediately return a call. Wohl and Burkman are appealing a judge’s January ruling allowing the New York suit to go forward.
James said the state will target efforts to spread false information about mail-in voting. “Wohl and Burkman used misinformation to try to disenfranchise Black communities ahead of the election, in a clear attempt to sway the election,” she said in a statement.
