A man who was targeted for a long term in a federal prison for an online joke about Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential race, which she lost, has been formally cleared.
Douglass Mackey posted on social media the statement “TOTAL EXONERATION” along with a copy of a federal court order declaring, “It is ordered that the defendant is acquitted, discharged, and any bond exonerated.”
He was charged, by a Department of Justice weaponized by Joe Biden, with interfering with an election, and convicted and sentenced to seven months in prison. His appeals kept him out, and while the court case was dropped as illegal some time ago, the final ruling just arrived.
He had joked, about Clinton, that her supporters should avoid the lines on election day and vote online.
Leftist prosecutors wildly claimed that Mackey tricked some 5,000 people into voting by text or social, even thought that was impossible, since there is no process for online voting.
TOTAL EXONERATION pic.twitter.com/PpE4C8lYid
— Douglass Mackey (@DougMackeyCase) September 23, 2025
It was in 2020, right after Biden moved into the White House, “one of the very first things his weaponized DOJ did was launch a political hit job on Douglass Mackey, a conservative influencer who dared to mock Hillary Clinton with a satirical meme during the 2016 election. The meme was obviously a joke and clearly protected speech. But that didn’t matter. What mattered was the message it sent: mock the regime, and we’ll destroy your life. So, that’s exactly what the Biden regime did,” Revolver commented.
That publication contacted Mackey after the court released its order.
He said, “Although personally satisfying, this victory is for the American people. This victory is for all who donated and prayed and lawyered and spread the word to help win this case. It was an honor to stand for free speech,” he said. “After pouring many hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars into this case, I look forward to winning a settlement with the Trump DOJ, which is doing a great job righting the wrongs of the last administration.”
He cited a lawyer he’s retained for those negotiations.
He also said he’s excited to have another legal team to pursue “accountability and reforms” inside the DOJ to prevent future weaponization like that which Biden demanded.
WND had reported when he confirmed his plan to seek damages.
BREAKING: Doug Mackey retains James @BurnhamDC, former general counsel to DOGE, to file a claim with the Justice Department.
It’s not just about the money, Burnham says, but also holding individuals accountable. Will explore lawsuits, misconduct complaints, investigations. pic.twitter.com/dZirCDzKcr
— Revolver News (@RevolverNewsUSA) July 29, 2025
One of the Biden DOJ’s very first actions—on January 22, 2021, just two days into the Biden administration—was to initiate a criminal prosecution to try to send a self-described X “troll” to federal prison just for posting or reposting three political memes during the 2016…
— Chad Mizelle (@ChadMizelle47) July 18, 2025
It was the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that destroyed the Biden administration’s years-long war against Mackey by vacating his conviction.
Revolver reported, “Many also believe the Mackey case was a test run. Because if they could twist a meme into a federal crime and throw a young guy in prison, could they also go after a former president? Turns out, yes. They could. And they did.”
Mackey’s lawyer said it’s a priority to secure compensation for damages Biden’s DOJ inflicted.
Also possible? Suing DOJ attorneys in their personal capacity and filing misconduct complaints against them, the report noted.
Also they will work with Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate how the case could come about, “who originated it, and whose heads need to roll for it.”
When the Biden DOJ weaponization was at its strongest, Mackey was convicted and sentenced to prison.
Ep. 38 The First Amendment is done. Douglass Mackey is about to go to prison for mocking Hillary Clinton on the internet. We talked to him right before his sentencing. Remember as you watch that this could be you.
TIMESTAMPS:
(3:12) The Hillary Clinton meme
(4:20) Hillary’s… pic.twitter.com/MLwz2SboGr— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) November 9, 2023
He pointed out in his appeal that the government’s case, left standing, would criminalize not just political misinformation and satire, but also “lies about also whether and for whom to vote. Such a sprawling political speech code is in the teeth of every applicable canon for reading criminal laws, and grossly offends the First Amendment.”
WND also reported that a “progressive activist told Trump supporters to vote by text, but Biden’s weaponized DOJ gave her a pass.
Greg Gutfeld talks about @DougMackeyCase during his opening monologue. pic.twitter.com/LhxoBGoUxb
— Ames (@VivaLaAmes11) September 25, 2025
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This article was originally published by the WND News Center.
