True the Vote Unveils New Election Fraud Film After Past Court Losses
True the Vote and Pastor Lorenzo Sewell are releasing 'Trap', a new 2020 election fraud documentary.
Why it matters: Continued promotion of discredited election fraud allegations risks legal setbacks and influences election law debates. Legal professionals must be aware of these developments affecting electoral integrity discussions.
- 'Trap' alleges systemic fraud in Black communities during 2020, echoing previously rejected claims.
- Their 2022 film '2000 Mules' claimed 2,000 individuals illegally deposited 400,000 votes; courts dismissed these claims.
- Experts and PolitiFact found '2000 Mules' analysis based on flawed cellphone data methodology.
- Former Attorney General William Barr stated '2000 Mules' lacked sufficient evidence; Salem Media apologized and stopped distributing it.
True the Vote is partnering with Detroit pastor Lorenzo Sewell to release a new documentary, Trap, which claims systemic election fraud targeting Black communities in the 2020 election. These allegations mirror earlier claims previously dismissed in court and debunked by experts.
The group’s 2022 film, 2000 Mules, alleged that 2,000 individuals coordinated illegal ballot collection depositing 400,000 votes in key battleground states during the 2020 election. Multiple courts across jurisdictions dismissed these fraud claims for lack of evidence, citing failures to meet legal standards.
Analysts and fact-checkers questioned the film’s reliance on cellphone geolocation data. PolitiFact found the methodology flawed, noting that presence near ballot drop boxes does not prove illegal ballot harvesting.
Former Attorney General William Barr publicly discounted the evidence, calling the photographic evidence "lacking" and concluding it did not demonstrate widespread illegal vote harvesting. Salem Media Group, distributor of 2000 Mules, issued a public apology to a Georgia man falsely implicated and later ceased film distribution.
In addition, True the Vote’s ballot-stuffing lawsuit before the Georgia State Election Board was dropped after failure to produce substantive evidence, further underscoring the legal fragility of their claims.
Despite this history, Trap represents True the Vote’s ongoing efforts to influence election narratives through similar, discredited allegations. This persistence highlights ongoing challenges for legal professionals in election law as misinformation campaigns continue to affect public trust and regulatory environments.
By the numbers:
- 2,000 individuals — alleged illegal ballot collectors in '2000 Mules'
- 400,000 ballots — claimed illegally deposited in key 2020 states
- 2022 — year '2000 Mules' was released and subsequently dismissed in court
Yes, but: While all courts cited have dismissed the related claims, some supporters argue these films raise legitimate questions about election integrity; however, no new credible evidence has emerged.
What's next: Anticipate increased public scrutiny and legal examination of election misinformation films like 'Trap' as the 2024 election approaches.