Staff Reports
Last week, the Department of Justice announced that Republican social media influencer Douglass Mackey had been convicted for mocking the Democrats by posting memes. Mackey, who went by the username “Ricky Vaughn” on social media, was charged with being part of a “scheme to deprive individuals of their constitutional right to vote” by posting fake Hillary Clinton campaign ads that encouraged people to vote from home. Despite the fact that no votes were changed by the meme, Mackey has been found guilty of attempting to deprive individuals from exercising their sacred right to vote. U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Breon Peace, rejoiced in the verdict, stating that it “rejects his cynical attempt to use the constitutional right of free speech as a shield for his scheme to subvert the ballot box and suppress the vote.”
Here's What Tucker Carlson Is Calling the 'Most Shocking Attack' on Free Speech https://t.co/qAWxfG7Ocv
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 4, 2023
However, Mackey’s attorney, Andrew Frisch, boldly argued during closing arguments that not a single vote was changed by the meme. “It was no criminal conspiracy. It was the internet,” he clarified, asserting that the government could not find a single victim of Mackey’s alleged crime. But despite a lack of evidence, Mackey was still found guilty and is now facing up to 10 years in prison. Fox News’s Tucker Carlson slammed the decision, saying that it’s the most shocking attack on freedom of speech in America in our lifetimes. Carlson reminded viewers that the government has shown no interest in prosecuting the woman behind a similar meme, Kristina Wong, arguing that it’s because she’s a Democrat. “It’s also a useful lesson in who will be allowed to speak going forward,” he added, essentially pointing out that Americans need to be wary of what they say online because their beliefs may not align with the Democratic party’s.
The Office for the Eastern District of New York just announced that Douglass Mackey, also known as “Ricky Vaughn” has been found guilty.
What’s his crime? Posting memes. For real. They claimed he tried to trick voters out of casting their ballots for Hillary Clinton in 2016.… pic.twitter.com/7x7T79UuCC
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) March 31, 2023
Ultimately, Mackey was found guilty for nothing more than daring to mock the Democrats. In a post-2016 election world, it appears that Democrats cannot take a joke and will stop at nothing to silence conservative voices. However, this should not deter those who believe in freedom of speech. We must remember that the First Amendment guarantees that every American has the right to express their views, even if we don’t like what they’re saying. It’s time to stand up against the left’s attack on free speech and let the Mackey ruling be a reminder of what happens when we don’t speak out.
