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This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.

Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.

FACT BRIEF

Were lawyers representing the GOP in post-election challenges doxed and harassed online?

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

By Ramon Rodriguez

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YES

On Nov. 10 the Lincoln Project, a PAC formed by Republicans opposed to Donald Trump's reelection, urged its Twitter followers to message staff at two firms, Porter Wright Morris & Arthur and Jones Day, and ask “how they can work for an organization trying to overturn the will of the American people.” Both firms were representing GOP efforts to contest the presidential election.

Twitter removed another Lincoln Project tweet that included contact information of two Porter Wright attorneys. The two attorneys and their firm withdrew from cases seeking to overturn election results in Pennsylvania, though an official reason has not been given.

An independent Philadelphia lawyer who stayed with the effort, Linda A. Kerns, later sought sanctions against the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis for an allegedly abusive voicemail over her role in representing the Trump campaign.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

The Lincoln Project: Tweet from Nov. 10 urging messages to two law firms

Fox News: Twitter removes Lincoln Project with contact info of two attorneys

Philadelphia Inquirer: Law firm withdraws from Trump election challenge

Law360: Porter Morris withdrawal

Court Listener: Kerns' call for sanctions

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR

Gigafact

Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.

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About fact briefs published on Gigafact

Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.