Concord, New Hampshire (AP) – A political consultant who used a Robocall generated by artificial intelligence to mimic former President Joe Biden will stand trial in New Hampshire on Thursday. The judge may need to evaluate not just his guilt or innocence but also whether the primary held actually served its purpose.
Facing decades behind bars if convicted of voter suppression and impersonating candidates, Stephen Kramer confessed to altering messages sent to thousands of voters just two days prior to the January 23, 2024, Primary. The message utilized his phrase “Malaky Bundle” and featured an AI-generated voice that sounded like the Democratic president, hinting that participating in the primary could hinder voters from casting their ballots in November.
“It’s crucial to conserve your vote for the November election,” the message stated. “Your vote will count in November, not this Tuesday.”
Kramer, who runs a company specializing in electoral projects, claims he wasn’t attempting to sway the primary results but rather aimed to Send a wake-up call about the risks of AI. He engaged The Magician of New Orleans and the self-identified “digital nomad” to create the recording for $150.
“I may be seen as the villain today, but I believe that my actions will ultimately yield a better country and democracy,” Kramer told The Associated Press in February 2024.
Before the trial in Belknap County Superior Court, state prosecutors attempted to prevent Kramer from arguing that the primary was a meaningless straw vote since it wasn’t sanctioned by the Democratic National Committee. Following Biden’s request, the DNC removed New Hampshire from the traditional early nomination calendar, which raised concerns about the state’s representation at the national convention. Although Biden was not present for campaigning and did not name voters, he won as a write-in candidate.
The state contended that this evidence was irrelevant and could confuse the jury, but Judge Elizabeth Leonard rejected the motion in March. She stated that the DNC’s actions and Kramer’s understanding were pertinent to his motivation and intent in issuing the call. She granted the prosecution’s request to acknowledge that the state held the presidential primary, as defined by law, on January 23, 2024. The jury will be informed of these conclusions, but they are not bound to accept them.
Kramer faces 11 felony charges, each carrying a maximum prison sentence of up to seven years, accused of attempting to restrict voting based on “fraud, deceptive, misleading, or false grounds.” Additionally, he faces 11 misdemeanor charges, each also punishable by up to one year in prison, for falsely presenting himself as a candidate through his actions or those of others.
He is also liable for a $6 million fine to the Federal Communications Commission, but it’s unclear if he has paid it, as the FCC did not respond to a request for comment earlier this week.
The agency was formulating AI-related regulations when Donald Trump secured the presidency, but has since indicated a potential shift that could relax regulations. In April, it recommended joining an industry consortium shortly after telecommunications companies suggested a company penalty for their involvement in illegal robocalls impersonating the FCC.
According to WatchDog, half of all U.S. states have enacted laws regulating AI deepfakes in political campaigns Organizational public citizens.
Recently, however, House Republicans added phrasing to their party’s signature “big beautiful” tax bill, which bans states and regions from regulating artificial intelligence for a decade, despite facing significant obstacles in the Senate.
Source: apnews.com