The Department of Justice revealed last week that Republican social media star Douglass Mackey had been found guilty of posting memes that made fun of the Democrats. Mackey, who used the online alias “Ricky Vaughn,” was accused of publishing phony Hillary Clinton campaign advertisements that urged people to cast their ballots at home as part of a “scheme to deprive individuals of their constitutional right to vote.”
Despite the fact that the meme did not affect any votes, Mackey was found responsible for trying to prevent people from exercising their inalienable right to vote. Breon Peace, the US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, applauded the decision and said 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
But during closing arguments, Mackey’s counsel, Andrew Frisch, dared to assert that not a single vote had been impacted by the meme.“It was no criminal conspiracy. It was the internet.” He added that the authorities had been unable to identify even one victim of Mackey’s alleged crime. Nonetheless, despite the paucity of evidence, Mackey was still found guilty and now faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail.
Tucker Carlson of Fox News criticized the judgment, calling it the most startling assault on free speech in America in our history. Carlson reminded viewers that Kristina Wong, the creator of a related meme, has not been targeted for prosecution, claiming that this is because she is a Democrat.
He continued, “It’s also a useful lesson in who will be allowed to speak going forward,” basically stressing that people should be cautious about what they say online because their opinions might not coincide with those of the Democratic party.
The Office for the Eastern District of New York just announced that Douglass Mackey, also known as “Ricky Vaughn” has been found guilty.
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) March 31, 2023
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
In the end, Mackey was found guilty simply for daring to make fun of the Democrats. After the 2016 election, it seems like Democrats are unable to laugh at themselves and will do anything to stifle the opinions of conservatives. Those who support freedom of speech shouldn’t let this discourage them, though.
Even if we disagree with what they are saying, the First Amendment ensures that every American has the freedom to express their opinions. It’s time to resist the left’s assault on free speech and let the Mackey decision serve as a warning about what happens when we remain silent.
