Eric Coomer, Ph.D.
Former Director of Product Strategy and Security at Dominion Voting Systems. Central figure in 2020 election integrity allegations stemming from a claim by conservative podcaster Joe Oltmann that he heard Coomer on an "Antifa conference call" stating he had "made f***ing sure" Trump would not win the election. Coomer denied the allegation, went into hiding due to death threats, and filed multiple defamation lawsuits — several of which resulted in retractions and settlements from major media outlets.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Eric Coomer, Ph.D. |
| Role | Former Director of Product Strategy and Security, Dominion Voting Systems |
| Education | Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering; holds 12 U.S. patents related to election software and voting machines |
| Location | Colorado |
| Legal Status | Plaintiff in multiple ongoing defamation lawsuits; no criminal charges filed against him |
| Evidence Rating | DEBATED — central allegation unverified; Oltmann has not produced evidence of the Antifa call; Coomer denies it under oath; Newsmax and OAN retracted |
| Status | Alive |
Overview
Eric Coomer was a senior technical executive at Dominion Voting Systems, responsible for the security and strategy of the company's voting software and hardware products. He holds a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering and has 12 U.S. patents related to election technology.
Shortly before the 2020 presidential election, Colorado conservative activist and podcaster Joe Oltmann publicly claimed he had infiltrated an Antifa organizing call and heard a Dominion employee — whom he later identified as Coomer — tell participants: "Don't worry about it. Trump's not going to win. I made f***ing sure of it." Oltmann published the claim on his podcast and it spread rapidly through conservative media.
Coomer was not publicly named at Dominion at the time. When his identity was circulated, he received death threats, went into hiding, and was placed on administrative leave by Dominion. He has repeatedly and categorically denied the allegation, stating under oath: "I did not participate in a scheme to rig votes."
Coomer subsequently filed defamation lawsuits against Oltmann, the Trump campaign, Sidney Powell, Rudy Giuliani, Newsmax, OAN, Michelle Malkin, The Gateway Pundit, and others.
The Oltmann Allegation
Joe Oltmann's claim: In September/October 2020, Oltmann claimed he had infiltrated an Antifa conference call and heard an individual he believed to be a Dominion employee state words to the effect of: "Don't worry about it, Trump's not going to win. I made f***ing sure of it." Oltmann later identified the speaker as Eric Coomer based on LinkedIn and Dominion's website. He amplified the claim on his podcast and conservative media appearances.
Coomer's social media: Coomer did post anti-Trump comments on his private Facebook page in 2016. He admitted to these posts on the stand and said he regrets them. The posts were real, but critics dispute whether political opinions expressed four years before the election constitute evidence of vote manipulation.
What has NOT been established:
- Oltmann has not produced a recording of the alleged Antifa call
- No witness to the alleged call has come forward
- No forensic evidence of vote manipulation connected to Coomer has been presented or adjudicated in court
- Newsmax, in its retraction, stated it found "no evidence that Dr. Coomer interfered with Dominion voting machines or voting software in any way, nor that Dr. Coomer ever participated in any conversation with members of 'antifa'"
What critics note as suspicious:
- Coomer's public social media posts showed strong anti-Trump sentiment
- His role gave him theoretical access to Dominion's software systems
- Dominion placed him on administrative leave and he eventually departed the company, though the circumstances were not publicly detailed
- Oltmann maintains his account and has not recanted
Defamation Litigation
Coomer filed suit in Denver District Court (Case No. 20CV34319) against multiple defendants:
| Defendant | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Newsmax | Settled; Newsmax issued public retraction and apology stating no evidence Coomer interfered with machines or participated in Antifa call |
| OAN / Chanel Rion | Settled (September 2023) |
| Joe Oltmann | Active as of 2026; Oltmann ordered to pay $37,000 in court fines plus $53,757 in attorneys' fees for fleeing a deposition |
| The Gateway Pundit (TGP) | Active; TGP filed for bankruptcy; case in USBC Southern District of Florida as of 2024 |
| Trump Campaign | Active |
| Sidney Powell | Active (separate from Dominion's own Powell suit) |
| Rudy Giuliani | Active |
| Michelle Malkin | Active |
Colorado Court of Appeals ruled in April 2024 that the case against Oltmann and The Gateway Pundit can proceed, rejecting anti-SLAPP dismissal motions.
In the Mike Lindell / MyPillow defamation trial (June 2025), Coomer testified against Lindell. Lindell was found liable for three instances of defamation related to Coomer claims and ordered to pay $2.3 million in damages.
Joe Oltmann's Credibility
Joe Oltmann is a Colorado conservative activist and founder of FEC United, a local conservative group. Critics note:
- He has not produced a recording, transcript, or corroborating witness for the alleged Antifa call
- He was ordered by a federal judge to pay $90,000+ in sanctions and attorneys' fees for refusing to cooperate with court proceedings (fleeing a deposition, non-compliance with discovery)
- He was a key witness in the Lindell trial and his testimony was part of the basis for the $2.3 million defamation verdict against Lindell
Supporters of Oltmann argue:
- That the death threats and severity of reaction against Coomer are themselves suspicious
- That Coomer's social media posts, while not from 2020, reveal a partisan mindset incompatible with neutral election administration
- That the legal proceedings function as lawfare to silence an inconvenient witness
Defense & Denials
Coomer's position: He denies all allegations under oath. He did not participate in an Antifa call. He did not manipulate any election results. He is pursuing defamation claims to vindicate himself.
Dominion's position: Dominion placed Coomer on administrative leave and he eventually departed the company. Dominion has separately stated that no evidence of vote manipulation by Coomer or any Dominion employee has been produced.
Newsmax retraction (key language):
"Newsmax would like to clarify its coverage of Dr. Eric Coomer, who has filed a lawsuit against Newsmax... Newsmax has found no evidence that Dr. Coomer interfered with Dominion voting machines or voting software in any way, nor that Dr. Coomer ever participated in any conversation with members of 'antifa,' nor that he was directly involved with any partisan political organization."
What Was Never Independently Investigated
- No law enforcement agency publicly announced a criminal investigation of Coomer's alleged statements
- No independent forensic review of Coomer's system access logs during the 2020 election was conducted or made public
- The identity of other alleged participants in the Antifa call claimed by Oltmann has never been confirmed or denied by any party
Timeline
- 2016 — Coomer posts anti-Trump content on private Facebook page
- September/October 2020 — Oltmann claims to have heard Coomer on an Antifa call
- November 2020 — Claims spread rapidly through conservative media after 2020 election
- November/December 2020 — Coomer goes into hiding after receiving death threats; Dominion places him on administrative leave
- December 2020 — Coomer files defamation lawsuit in Denver District Court
- 2021–2023 — Litigation proceeds; Newsmax and OAN settle and issue retractions
- 2023 — Oltmann ordered to pay $37,000 in fines plus $53,757 in attorneys' fees for court non-compliance
- April 2024 — Colorado Court of Appeals rules Coomer's cases against Oltmann and TGP can proceed; rejects anti-SLAPP dismissal
- June 2025 — Coomer testifies against Mike Lindell; Lindell found liable for $2.3 million
- April 2026 — Joe Oltmann (@Joeoltmann) posts the Coomer "made f***ing sure of it" quote on X, tagging @realDonaldTrump and arguing that DOJ is "complicit" for failing to arrest Coomer
Related Profiles
- Dominion Voting Systems — The company Coomer worked for; full technical allegations
- Sidney Powell — Filed Kraken lawsuits; sued by Coomer; pleaded guilty to Georgia misdemeanors
Other Coverage Worth Reading
- Tina Peters: Mesa County Clerk sentenced to 9 years for Dominion forensic backup — supporter framing is retaliation for exposing 29,000 deleted records.
- Mark Cook: Election security expert claims Dominion backdoor is live, demonstrable, and missed by all testing labs.
- Clint Curtis: Programmer built vote-rigging software on request of a Florida congressman — testified under oath.
- Dominion ICX Ballot Marking: Princeton professor documented ICX can physically mark ballots after voter contact and mimic human bubble-filling.
Sources
- NPR/CPR — Election Conspiracy Theorists Focused On One Man (Dec 2020) — Original in-depth profile of Coomer and the Oltmann allegation
- Snopes — Did a Dominion Employee Brag About Rigging the Election? — Fact-check review of the Oltmann claim
- CPR — Former Dominion employee waits for his days in court (April 2023) — Status of multiple suits
- Colorado Court of Appeals — Coomer v. FEC TGP LLC (April 2024) — Appellate ruling allowing cases to proceed
- Westword — Joe Oltmann Ordered to Pay $90,000 — Oltmann sanctions for court non-compliance
- Colorado Politics — Coomer testifies against Lindell (June 2025) — MyPillow trial; Lindell liable for $2.3M
- Cain & Skarnulis — Appellate Win for Coomer — Coomer's attorneys' summary of April 2024 ruling
- NBC News — Dominion worker sues Trump campaign and conservative media — Original filing coverage
- @Joeoltmann on X — April 9, 2026: Oltmann posts the Coomer quote, calls DOJ "complicit" for not arresting him, tags @realDonaldTrump
This information was compiled by Claude AI research.