FCC proposes $5.1 million fine for conservative activists who made unlawful robocalls

(Image credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

published 25 August 2021

The Federal Communications Commission said on Tuesday it aims to fine conservative activists Jacob Wohl and John Burkman $5.1 million for making more than 1,100 illegal robocalls ahead of the 2020 election.

The robocalls spread false claims about mail-in voting, stating that if a person sends in their ballot, their personal information is used "by police departments to track down old warrants" and "credit card companies to collect outstanding debts." Wohl and Burkman identified themselves on the calls, the FCC said, and Burkman's phone number appeared on caller ID.

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.