Many Are Calling for Jimmy Kimmel to Be Arrested for His On-Air 'Election Interference'

"Rules for thee, but not for me?"

Late-night ABC host Jimmy Kimmel, a comedian and vocal critic of former President Donald Trump, has stirred backlash following a joke that many interpreted as mockery of Trump supporters. On his Wednesday show, Kimmel quipped, "If you want to vote for Trump, vote late. Vote very late," adding, "Do your voting on Thursday, or maybe Friday."

To many, this joke seemed to suggest that Trump supporters should vote after Election Day, rendering their votes invalid. While some audiences might dismiss it as mere comedy, the Department of Justice (DOJ) under President Joe Biden views such “misinformation” as punishable — as seen in the case of Douglass Mackey.

Mackey, who gained attention for a social media post before the 2016 election, told prospective Clinton voters they could "vote from home" by texting a specific number. Although many saw Mackey’s post as humorous, Biden’s DOJ disagreed. In 2020, Mackey was convicted of election interference, resulting in a seven-month prison sentence.

The conviction outraged Trump supporters and Republicans, who argued that Mackey's social media post was so absurd it could only be seen as parody. Now, many argue that Kimmel, whose reach is far larger than Mackey’s, made a similar "election interference" joke.

John Daniel Davidson of The Federalist drew a stark comparison: "If Trump Wins, He Should Arrest And Prosecute Jimmy Kimmel.” Davidson posited that Mackey’s case might have set a precedent for targeting Trump himself. He wrote, "It was an outlandish reading of the federal statute... to create a precedent for its application against Trump in the January 6 case brought last year by special counsel Jack Smith."

Davidson argued that Mackey's prosecution was politically motivated, as the DOJ only pursued the case two days after Biden's inauguration — more than four years after Mackey posted the meme. He warned that "criminalizing internet memes" could pave the way for prosecuting any speech the state wishes to suppress.

On social media, many users echoed Davidson’s sentiment. One user on X wrote, "Prison should be in his [Kimmel's] future," while another argued that the same judge who sentenced Mackey should do the same to Kimmel "because ‘nobody is above the law.’" Yet another questioned whether punishment only applies when it might “confuse Democrat voters.”

With the election just days away, Davidson and others wonder whether Trump, if victorious, will indeed take a stand on these issues.