Appeals Court Reverses Biden DOJ Conviction of Meme Warrior Douglass Mackey

The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit unanimously overturned the conviction of Douglass Mackey, the online commentator known by the pseudonym “Ricky Vaughn,” who was convicted in 2023 on charges of election interference stemming from social media posts related to the 2016 presidential election.

The case focused on images shared under the “Ricky Vaughn” persona, including one that read: “Text ‘Hillary’ to 59925,” which federal prosecutors claimed was intended to mislead voters.

In the ruling, the three-judge panel concluded the evidence presented at trial did not meet the legal threshold for conspiracy.

“Mackey argues on appeal that the evidence was insufficient to prove that he knowingly agreed to join the charged conspiracy,” the decision read. “We agree.”

The decision is a major shift in one of the most high-profile cases brought by the Biden-era Department of Justice concerning online political speech.

Mackey was arrested in 2021, shortly after President Joe Biden was sworn into office.

Following his conviction, Mackey was sentenced to seven months in federal prison.

The DOJ said Mackey had violated federal election laws by attempting to “trick” voters into casting their ballot via text message.

However, Mackey argued that the prosecution represented a violation of his First Amendment rights.

He later appeared on Tucker Carlson’s program following his sentencing, where he claimed the federal government had criminalized political speech.

President Trump shared a video in support of Mackey, stating the case was a clear example of the Biden Justice Department using federal power to suppress dissent.

Watch:

“They didn’t violate my rights,” Mackey said during a 2023 interview.
“They annihilated them.”

Mackey said he was not seeking a pardon but instead wanted a full legal exoneration through the courts.

“Total vindication,” he said at the time.

Following the ruling, he posted “Now we sue” on his X account, signaling a potential lawsuit against federal agencies or officials involved in the case.

The panel that ruled in Mackey’s favor included both liberal- and conservative-appointed judges, highlighting the unanimous nature of the decision.