Attorney General Jason Miyares has secured a victory in an election integrity case involving voter misinformation. The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has dismissed an appeal by Look Ahead America, Inc., a political organization that distributed false and intimidating flyers before the recent elections in Virginia.
In October, Attorney General Miyares took action by sending a 'cease and desist' letter to Look Ahead America, Inc., also known as Virginia Voter Assistance, to prevent the further distribution of these misleading flyers in northern Virginia. Look Ahead America, Inc. then sued the Attorney General, challenging Virginia's voter intimidation statutes and seeking to stop their enforcement. However, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ruled in favor of the Attorney General and denied Look Ahead America, Inc.'s requested injunction.
Now, the Fourth Circuit has dismissed Look Ahead America, Inc.'s appeal from that denial, solidifying Attorney General Miyares' victory in this case. In response to the outcome, Attorney General Miyares stated, "In Virginia, it should be easy to vote and hard to cheat. I'm proud of my Election Integrity Unit for taking action against voter misinformation and intimidation. Look Ahead America, Inc.'s election mail pieces threatened and misled voters, and I am committed to cracking down on intimidating, threatening, and coercive election tactics like this."
The misleading flyers distributed by Look Ahead America, Inc. targeted Fauquier, Loudoun, and Prince William counties. These flyers falsely claimed that recipients had failed to vote in recent elections and made false statements about the possible consequences of not voting. They suggested that the failure to vote could lead to a loss of Social Security Income, Medicare eligibility, unemployment benefits, child tax credits, child custody rights, and concealed carry permits. To make matters worse, these flyers were designed to appear as if they were coming from a governmental organization, adding a sense of credibility to their threats.
The Office of Attorney General's Election Integrity Unit, established in 2022, played a crucial role in addressing this issue. This unit is a collaborative effort that brings together attorneys, investigators, and paralegals from across the agency to tackle election-related challenges.
Attorney General Miyares' successful defense against Look Ahead America, Inc. serves as a reminder of Virginia's commitment to ensuring fair elections and protecting voters from misinformation and intimidation. With this victory, the Attorney General's Office sends a clear message that such tactics will not be tolerated, and it will continue to take action to preserve the integrity of the electoral process.
To learn more, click on this link: https://www.oag.state.va.us/media-center/news-releases/2661-attorney-general-miyares-wins-election-integrity-case-involving-voter-misinformation-december-29th-2023