Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel expressed deep concern over the emergence of fake robocalls purportedly featuring the voice of President Joe Biden, just as the November election approaches. Nessel, a member of a nationwide Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force comprising 50 attorneys general, emphasized the seriousness of this issue.
These robocalls, detected in January targeting New Hampshire voters ahead of the state’s primary election on January 23, were flagged by the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office Election Law Unit. They determined the calls utilized AI-generated voice clones mimicking Biden, with messages urging recipients not to participate in the primary.
Joe Biden (Credits: The Guardian)
During an interview on CNN This Morning, anchor Phil Mattingly questioned Nessel about the potential threat these robocalls pose in terms of voter suppression leading up to the election. Nessel underscored the gravity of the situation, labeling it as “extraordinary” and stressing the urgent need to address illegal robocalls promptly.
Nessel referenced a similar case she prosecuted during the 2020 presidential election involving Biden and Donald Trump, which was later appealed. She emphasized the importance of imposing significant legal penalties on those responsible for scam calls, noting the heightened danger when such calls claim to originate from the candidate themselves.
An investigation into last month’s incidents was launched by New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella, in collaboration with state and federal entities like the Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force and the Federal Communications Commission Enforcement Bureau. The calls were traced back to Texas-based Life Corporation and an individual named Walter Monk.
The robocalls in New Hampshire featured messages urging voters to save their votes for the November election, alongside instructions to call a phone number supposedly belonging to a former New Hampshire Democratic Party chair to opt out of future calls. These actions violated laws such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and the Truth in Caller ID Act.
Nessel, along with other state attorneys general, issued warnings to Life Corporation and its executives, demanding an immediate halt to unlawful call activities. Failure to comply may result in further legal consequences.
New Hampshire Attorney General Formella highlighted the crucial importance of maintaining public confidence in the electoral process.
He emphasized the potential detrimental impact of AI-generated recordings used to deceive voters and praised the collaborative efforts of law enforcement, regulatory agencies, and industry stakeholders in swiftly addressing this threat.
The use of artificial intelligence in political campaigns has become increasingly prevalent, as evidenced by instances in the 2024 presidential campaign and the GOP primary.
Former President Trump’s campaign criticized Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over a campaign attack ad featuring AI-generated images, while former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy faced legal action over alleged robocalls supporting his 2024 campaign, which purportedly misused pre-recorded calls without obtaining consent from recipients.
