Georgia 2000 Mules Voter Intimidation Lawsuit

Lawsuit filed on behalf of a Georgia voter, Mark Andrews, against right-wing activists and organizations — including Dinesh D’Souza, True the Vote and its leaders and others — alleging that the defendants falsely accused Andrews of “ballot fraud” in their film and accompanying book “2000 Mules.” The plaintiff alleges that “2000 Mules,” which espouses disinformation and lies in a false narrative about alleged ballot fraud in the 2020 election, depicts Andrews as a “mule” who “illegally deposit[ed] ballots into drop boxes,” despite the fact that he did so in a legally compliant manner. The complaint notes that despite being publicly exonerated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigations and Georgia State Elections Board back in May 2022, Andrews continues to be portrayed by the defendants as a “criminal mule,” resulting in “Andrews and his family…fac[ing] threats of violence and liv[ing] in fear.” The complaint further contends that the defendants’ “conspiracy to defame and intimidate Mr. Andrews” has led him and his family to “feel intimidated to vote and ha[s] changed how they vote because of that fear. They worry that again they will be baselessly accused of election crimes, and that believers in the ‘mules’ theory may recognize and seek reprisal against them, and that they may face physical harm.” The complaint argues that the defendants’ conduct defamed Andrews and constitutes a violation of both state and federal law, including Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act as well as Section 2 of the Ku Klux Klan Act “because their actions threatened and intimidated Mr. Andrews for exercising his right to vote and caused injury to him because he exercised his right to vote.” The complaint also seeks punitive damages against the defendants for their allegedly illegal and harmful conduct.

Last updated: October 25, 2023 12:40 pm EST