Rep. Joseph Morelle (D-NY) is demanding the Department of Justice investigate robocalls generated by artificial intelligence that seemingly feature President Joe Biden’s voice asking New Hampshire residents to abstain from voting in the presidential primary.
The voice, resembling Biden’s, is telling New Hampshire voters to hold off on voting until the November general election, according to a report.
Morelle told Attorney General Merrick Garland in a letter Monday that an investigation is necessary for “preventing the spread [of] AI-generated mis- and disinformation in future elections.”
“This clear bid to interfere in the New Hampshire primary demands a thorough investigation and a forceful response from federal officials to deter further AI-based attacks that will disrupt American democracy and disenfranchise American voters,” Morelle said.
Last week, Morelle reupped bipartisan legislation to outlaw nonconsensual sexually explicit deepfakes, called the Preventing Deepfakes of Intimate Images Act. Morelle’s calls came after a New Jersey high school student pushed lawmakers to take action when her pictures were manipulated using AI.
“Although the voice in the robocall sounds like the voice of President Biden, this message appears to be artificially generated based on initial indications,” according to the New Hampshire attorney general’s office. “New Hampshire voters should disregard the content of this message entirely. Voting in the New Hampshire Presidential Primary Election does not preclude a voter from additionally voting in the November General Election.”
The audio was reviewed by CNN from the anti-robocall application Nomorobo, in which the altered voice suggests voting in the New Hampshire primary will help former President Donald Trump get to the White House.
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“Republicans have been trying to push nonpartisan and Democratic voters to participate in their primary,” the robocall states. “What a bunch of malarkey. We know the value of voting Democratic when our votes count. It’s important that you save your vote for the November election. We’ll need your help in electing Democrats up and down the ticket. Voting this Tuesday only enables the Republicans in their quest to elect Donald Trump again.”
The New Hampshire Department of Justice’s Election Law Unit is investigating the robocalls, according to a news release on Monday, in what the state’s attorney general’s office calls an unlawful attempt to suppress voters.
