Political Troll on trial for a Meme. Worthy of 10 years in prison?

[hawkland14]

Biden DOJ seems to think so. Yikes. This trial will be interesting, just started today.
Here’s a good article from Reason about the case.

Can the feds prosecute Douglass Mackey for his Twitter trolling?

Because of a series of misleading memes, a troll has been charged with conspiracy "to injure, oppress, threaten and intimidate one or more persons in the free exercise and enjoyment of a right and privilege secured to them by the Constitution and laws of the United States."

reason.com

 

[FAUlty Gator]

That’s bullshit. Stupid people deserve to be tricked. It’s how poor smart people entertain themselves.

 

[globalhawk]

Biden DOJ seems to think so. Yikes. This trial will be interesting, just started today.
Here’s a good article from Reason about the case.

Can the feds prosecute Douglass Mackey for his Twitter trolling?

Because of a series of misleading memes, a troll has been charged with conspiracy "to injure, oppress, threaten and intimidate one or more persons in the free exercise and enjoyment of a right and privilege secured to them by the Constitution and laws of the United States."

reason.com

Make sure you are watching your blood pressure.

 

[FAUlty Gator]

Sounds like that is a step beyond troll. Either way, that does seem like an interesting case.

Yeah. I wouldn’t use MEME there either.

 

[lucas80]

Figures that Coffland14 would white knight for a POS like Mackey.
A troll is someone like Trad who smokes a joint, then pops on over to GIAOT to stir the pot. Mackey attempted to directly interfere with voter turnout by spreading misinformation. He's also a steaming pile of racist, anti-Semitic dog s***.

 

[St. Louis Hawk]

On trial for a meme?

I think he’s on trial for posting this but we can disagree:

“Avoid the line. Vote from home," one of these images reads against a Clinton-branded background. "Text 'Hillary' to 59925." According to a Justice Department press release, at least 4,900 people texted the number before Election Day.

 

[ANYCHawk]

This is the "meme"

 

[lucas80]

On trial for a meme?

I think he’s on trial for posting this but we can disagree:

“Avoid the line. Vote from home," one of these images reads against a Clinton-branded background. "Text 'Hillary' to 59925." According to a Justice Department press release, at least 4,900 people texted the number before Election Day.

Are you suggesting that Coffland14 would post something factually inaccurate in order to push a grievance narrative? I am shocked!

 

[WDSMHAWK]

@hawkland14 is so desperate to believe everyone on team red is a victim that he capes for a pos like Mackey.

 

[hawkland14]

Figures that Coffland14 would white knight for a POS like Mackey.
A troll is someone like Trad who smokes a joint, then pops on over to GIAOT to stir the pot. Mackey attempted to directly interfere with voter turnout by spreading misinformation. He's also a steaming pile of racist, anti-Semitic dog s***.

Not white knighting at all. The guy is trash. Still doesn’t take away from the fact that the DOJ is pushing for 10 years for a meme. Liberals pushed same type of stuff out in 16 and 20 through memes and social media as well. You don’t think Republicans will take this and run with it towards their political enemies once they gain control?

 

[hawkland14]

@hawkland14 is so desperate to believe everyone on team red is a victim that he capes for a pos like Mackey.

Not at all. As said earlier Mackey is trash. But 10 years? For a meme?

 

[hawkedoff]

Looks to me like he is appropriately being prosecuted and should be convicted.

 

[ANYCHawk]

Not at all. As said earlier Mackey is trash. But 10 years? For a meme?

Stop calling it a meme. It isn't

Whether you thinks it's paradoy or not could be argued. But nowhere does it say that and provides a direct number to contact unlike the trump one you linked. It also uses the clinton logos, photos and fonts in a clear effort to deceive.

 

[hawkland14]

Looks to me like he is appropriately being prosecuted and should be convicted.

I think that’s a fair side of the argument but looking at the slippery slope has to come to one’s mind right?

 

[hawkland14]

Stop calling it a meme. It isn't

Whether you thinks it's paradoy or not could be argued. But nowhere does it say that and provides a direct number to contact unlike the trump one you linked. It also uses the clinton logos, photos and fonts in a clear effort to deceive.

That’s fair. 10 years is something though. And one could easily make the case that the other one is a clear effort to deceive. Trump will probably prosecute her when wins again. Im sure you are cool with that.

 

[mnole03]

Biden DOJ seems to think so. Yikes. This trial will be interesting, just started today.
Here’s a good article from Reason about the case.

Can the feds prosecute Douglass Mackey for his Twitter trolling?

Because of a series of misleading memes, a troll has been charged with conspiracy "to injure, oppress, threaten and intimidate one or more persons in the free exercise and enjoyment of a right and privilege secured to them by the Constitution and laws of the United States."

reason.com

Did you read the facts of the case? They literally workshopped how best to trick people into thinking they voted. It was a serious and concerted effort to deceive people. This wasn’t for the lulz.

Now whether this meets oppression as described by Sec. 241, I don’t know.

 

[EasyHawk]

This is nuts. Hopefully the case goes nowhere. Think what a Trump Justice department could do if this is allowed. This would set a very bad precedent. Crazy they are even pursuing it.

 

[ANYCHawk]

That’s fair. 10 years is something though. And one could easily make the case that the other one is a clear effort to deceive. Trump will probably prosecute her when wins again. Im sure you are cool with that.

Well when it doesn't provide a direct line, was posted on election day and tells people to text their vote the next day on a made up super Wednesday, and includes a video with backwards signs, I think it's much more clear it's not real.

Or do you think voting on super Wednesday is a thing?

 

[hawkland14]

Did you read the facts of the case? They literally workshopped how best to trick people into thinking they voted. It was a serious and concerted effort to deceive people. This wasn’t for the lulz.

Now whether this meets oppression as described by Sec. 241, I don’t know.

Of course but that is done all the time by political operatives. This is quite the fight the DOJ is picking. I’m sure it will work out great just like nuking the filibuster on judicial nominations.

 

[hawkland14]

Well when it doesn't provide a direct line, was posted on election day and tells people to text their vote the next day on a made up super Wednesday, and includes a video with backwards signs, I think it's much more clear it's not real.

Or do you think voting on super Wednesday is a thing?

If people were dumb enough to get duped by either of these you might have to question their intelligence.

I mean Trump MAGATs are the dumbest people in human history according to many on here of course they could think Super Wednesday is a thing.

 

[mnole03]

Of course but that is done all the time by political operatives. This is quite the fight the DOJ is picking. I’m sure it will work out great just like nuking the filibuster on judicial nominations.

I don’t have a problem with them going after political operatives that do this. I just think it’s a stretched use of Sec. 241.

If Congress passed a law tomorrow explicitly banning this. I’d think it was swell.

 

[ANYCHawk]

If people were dumb enough to get duped by either of these you might have to question their intelligence.

I mean Trump MAGATs are the dumbest people in human history according to many on here of course they could think Super Wednesday is a thing.

Ok and the fact she didn't give a number to text? What were the trump people gonna do text a random number they made up on super Wednesday?

And why would we question the intelligence of someone believing the poster above is real? It doesn't say paradoy, it uses all the logos and fonts, even has a number.

If you want to argue mackeys case is a chilling of the first amendment fine. I disagree when he provided the 55 number and used all the Hillary logos. But that's a fine case to argue. Using the other tweet as some kind of gotcha is just dumb as its vastly different and ruins any defense of a white supremacist you are trying to make

 

[hawkland14]

I don’t have a problem with them going after political operatives that do this. I just think it’s a stretched use of Sec. 241.

If Congress passed a law tomorrow explicitly banning this. I’d think it was swell.

Fair. Guess that’s a POV thing. It’s fair to say this trial won’t end here.

 

[ANYCHawk]

Fair. Guess that’s a POV thing. It’s fair to say this trial won’t end here.

It might. Even if found guilty. Appeals a long and tedious and provide bo guarentee anything will change. Even if convicted will it be worth the cost and effort if he gets a six month sentence?

(Not to mention you run the risk of it being affirmed and then becoming precident)

 

[hawkland14]

Ok and the fact she didn't give a number to text? What were the trump people gonna do text a random number they made up on super Wednesday?

And why would we question the intelligence of someone believing the poster above is real? It doesn't say paradoy, it uses all the logos and fonts, even has a number.

If you want to argue mackeys case is a chilling of the first amendment fine. I disagree when he provided the 55 number and used all the Hillary logos. But that's a fine case to argue. Using the other tweet as some kind of gotcha is just dumb as its vastly different and ruins any defense of a white supremacist you are trying to make

I’m not making a case for the white supremacist but that’s a typical tactic from a leftist like you. Im making a case that this is an alarming government action and a violation of a citizen’s first amendment right. Weird that you don’t think this could be used against people on the left if somehow DeSantis or Trump were to win in ‘24.

 

[Colonoscopy]

If this were some well established and circumscribed bit of law, I could see it.

But to pluck law out of effective obscurity, with questionable fit for this situation, and to then use it against an internet troll?

Don't think so.

 

[hawkland14]

It might. Even if found guilty. Appeals a long and tedious and provide bo guarentee anything will change. Even if convicted will it be worth the cost and effort if he gets a six month sentence?

(Not to mention you run the risk of it being affirmed and then becoming precident)

That is a fair point. What’s your prediction here? Mackey is a MAGAt so six months might be a short enough time for him to serve get out then be in DJT administration if he wins re election.

 

[ANYCHawk]

I’m not making a case for the white supremacist but that’s a typical tactic from a leftist like you. Im making a case that this is an alarming government action and a violations of a citizens first amendment rights. Weird that you don’t think this could be used against people on the left if somehow DeSantis or Trump were to win in ‘24.

What's a typical tactic? Pointing out the differences and flaws in your arguments?

And the first amendment has limits. This appears to be one. He went a step too far and got caught

 

[ANYCHawk]

That is a fair point. What’s your prediction here? Mackey is a MAGAt so six months might be a short enough time for him to serve get out then be in DJT administration if he wins re election.

That he'll be in a hung jury.

 

[hawkland14]

What's a typical tactic? Pointing out the differences and flaws in your arguments?

And the first amendment has limits. This appears to be one. He went a step too far and got caught

The typical tactic saying I was “defending a white supremacist”. It’s a Joes place or lucas move. Thought you were above that. His trash beliefs and political ideology have nothing to do with the argument I was making and you know it.

As @Colonoscopy pointed out plucking an obscure law out of the deep depths for political purposes is an odd tactic the left wants to go with. I’m sure it will work out well for them.

 

[ANYCHawk]

The typical tactic saying I was “defending a white supremacist”. It’s a Joes place or lucas move. Thought you were above that. His trash beliefs and political ideology have nothing to do with the argument I was making and you know it.

As @Colonoscopy pointed out plucking an obscure law out of the deep depths for political purposes is an odd tactic the left wants to go with. I’m sure it will work out well for them.

You are defending him. He is a white supremacist. We can't point put facts now?

And his beliefs have something to do with it. It caused him to back trump and push out a false narrative to those he doesn't like to deprive them of their voting rights. A false narrative that was so deceptive it crossed the bounds of protected free speech.

For being the party of law and order, you guys sure don't like when the law is used against you.

 

[mnole03]

If this were some well established and circumscribed bit of law, I could see it.

But to pluck law out of effective obscurity, with questionable fit for this situation, and to then use it against an internet troll?

Don't think so.

To be fair, Sec 241 & 242 were already expansively read by courts. It’s not like the judge in the EDNY pulled their ruling out of nowhere.

BTW the law is bananas. The fact that you can be convicted of conspiracy for something that’s not itself a crime is wild. If this dude had thought this up on his own and posted it, no crime.

 

[hawkland14]

You are defending him. He is a white supremacist. We can't point put facts now?

And his beliefs have something to do with it. It caused him to back trump and push out a false narrative to those he doesn't like to deprive them of their voting rights. A false narrative that was so deceptive it crossed the bounds of protected free speech.

For being the party of law and order, you guys sure don't like when the law is used against you.

Ok Joes place

You don’t think this could be a slippery slope issue? Here read this great blog from a UCLA professor. He must be defending a white supremacist too by asking the question if the DOJ is going a little overboard here.

https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/douglass-mackey-ricky-vaughn-memes-first-amendment

 

[hawkland14]

This is nuts. Hopefully the case goes nowhere. Think what a Trump Justice department could do if this is allowed. This would set a very bad precedent. Crazy they are even pursuing it.

For some reason the left always thinks they will be in power forever and their overreactions will never come back and bite them. Luckily, it’s how we got Kavannaugh and Barrett.

 

[globalhawk]

Ok Joes place

You don’t think this could be a slippery slope issue? Here read this great blog from a UCLA professor. He must be defending a white supremacist too by asking the question if the DOJ is going a little overboard here.

https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/douglass-mackey-ricky-vaughn-memes-first-amendment

Haha. A blog from a UCLA professor. You are dumm.

 

[hawkland14]

Seems we already have a twist in the case. The Southern Poverty Law Center is getting involved.

 

[ANYCHawk]

Ok Joes place

You don’t think this could be a slippery slope issue? Here read this great blog from a UCLA professor. He must be defending a white supremacist too by asking the question if the DOJ is going a little overboard here.

https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/douglass-mackey-ricky-vaughn-memes-first-amendment

He is, just like you. Hate to break it to you.

and no I'm not worried about the slippery slope. Not everything causes everything to spiral out of control.

This is narrowly tailored case with a guy who went to far. There is no attempt at humor, this isn't some time of Fawell v Hustler case, there is no attempt to label or indicate its a paradoy. It was done with the clear intention to deceive and trick people to vote incorrectly. He leaves off the number he's probably ok, leaves off the clinton logos he's probably ok, puts on some fine print, probably ok. He did none of those things.

 

[artradley]

Not at all. As said earlier Mackey is trash. But 10 years? For a meme?

You can’t just call it a “meme” and then declare it to be harmless. He materially and deliberately interfered with an election.

JFC you are stupid.

 

[lucas80]

The typical tactic saying I was “defending a white supremacist”. It’s a Joes place or lucas move. Thought you were above that. His trash beliefs and political ideology have nothing to do with the argument I was making and you know it.

As @Colonoscopy pointed out plucking an obscure law out of the deep depths for political purposes is an odd tactic the left wants to go with. I’m sure it will work out well for them.

You cherry picked the facts, and white knighted the guy in your non stop, grievance based posting style. You insist upon being intellectually dishonest in saying he's being prosecuted/persecuted because of a meme. Me posting a meme telling the Noles of GIAOT that Tim Tebow is the greatest college football player ever is a troll. Me deliberately targeting a segment of the population with misinformation in order to attempt to trick them is a crime. If his meme had been designed to separate senior citizens from their money would you be blaming the victims, as you have in this thread? That you are delving into the nut job wing of GIAOT for support is telling about the strength of your arguments.

 

[hawkland14]

You can’t just call it a “meme” and then declare it to be harmless. He materially and deliberately interfered with an election.

JFC you are stupid.

Calm down. You do realize this has a chance of not holding up because it is a meme right?