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Taking on the machine: Pennsylvania lawmakers try to rein in AI in campaigns

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Taking on the machine: Pennsylvania lawmakers try to rein in AI in campaigns


With the expansion of artificial intelligence comes politicians using it for political gain – sometimes deceitfully.

This summer, the campaign for Florida Gov. Ron Desantis was criticized for posting AI-generated deep fakes of former President Donald Trump and Dr. Anthony Fauci embracing, leading to much criticism from other Republicans.

In Pennsylvania, a bipartisan team is trying to tackle the use of deepfakes in state elections.

The legislation, led by Rep. Tarik Khan, D-Philadelphia, would fine candidates, campaigns and Super PACs if they use deep fake technology to fraudulently misrepresent other candidates. The fine amounts are still being finalized, said Khan.

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“The idea of this legislation is to really start to put the guardrails on the process and to make sure that our elections remain safe and secure,” said Khan.

Co-sponsor Rep. Rob Mercuri, R-Allegheny, shares the same sentiment.

“There’s no doubt that voters deserve truthful, accurate information,” Mercuri said. “And so creating guardrails where they know that candidates and other campaign entities such as Super PACs would be prohibited from using and misusing candidate images and video.

Mercuri said this bill is important for future elections.

“I want to ensure a safe and effective elections process that presents trusted information to the voters so that they can make an informed choice,” he said.

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If moved, Pennsylvania would become one of a handful of states with laws on the book dealing with false, AI-generated images in elections.

Khan said the advent of AI can lead people to be duped by false information.

“People are good. They’re trusting,” he said. “And all too often people are victims of scams.”

The law would only affect campaigns, candidates and super PACs, so those popular videos of presidents playing video games would not be affected nor would late night shows that have been making satirical images of candidates.

“We are not intending here to take away the ability of someone to use their free speech,” said Mercuri.

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In a 2022 post related to deep fake laws, conservative think tank Institute for Free Speech argued that “government attempts to outlaw misleading political messages will do far more harm to democracy than the mere existence of such speech.”

The group argues voters can “expose falsehoods and decide the value of political expression themselves.”

The Federal Election Commission is considering regulating AI deepfakes in campaign ads if used to misrepresent political opponents.

Additionally, X, formerly known as Twitter, and Meta, the parent company of Facebook, have rules regarding the use of deep fakes.

The Shapiro administration will continue reviewing the legislation as it moves through the process, according to press secretary Manuel Bonder.

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Man cited after abandoning car in frozen pond at Pennsylvania country club: Police

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Man cited after abandoning car in frozen pond at Pennsylvania country club: Police


A man has been cited after police said he drove a vehicle into a frozen pond at a country club in Pennsylvania, left the scene, then spent the night in a hotel.

According to the East Lampeter Township Police Department, on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, around 10:38 a.m., officers were called to the Lancaster Country Club after receiving reports about a vehicle in a pond.

Police said that, through an investigation, it was learned that Sung Chun, a 50-year-old man from Hoboken, New Jersey, had driven onto the property the day before around 8:30 p.m., crossed portions of the golf course, and ultimately ended up in a pond.

Chun then exited the vehicle and walked away without reporting the incident and spent the night at a nearby hotel, according to police.

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Credit: East Lampeter Township Police Department

Credit: East Lampeter Township Police Department

Credit: East Lampeter Township Police Department

Police said Chun returned to the location while police were on scene investigating the incident and was ultimately cited with “Trespass by Motor Vehicle.”



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State College, Pennsylvania: 2026 USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards

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State College, Pennsylvania: 2026 USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards


In rural Pennsylvania, State College houses Penn State against a backdrop of beautiful country scenery. The university hosts many events, arts performances, and lively festivals that give the town year-round excitement that blends student life with local charm. Visitors can attend a football game, explore nearby parks and trails, and savor the town’s growing culinary scene of pubs and local eateries.



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What the war with Iran could mean for gas prices in western Pennsylvania

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What the war with Iran could mean for gas prices in western Pennsylvania


The war with Iran could start impacting your wallet as soon as today.

Jim Garrity from AAA East Central says oil prices are up.

“They’re hovering around $72. They were pretty consistently around $65, $66 for a while,” he said.

Nationally, AAA said the average for a gallon of regular sits at about $3, up approximately six cents from last week.

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In Pennsylvania, it’s around $3.12 a gallon, and in the Pittsburgh region, it’s around $3.24 a gallon. That’s actually down about four cents from last week.

Garrity added that gas prices this time of year would already be increasing, usually because of higher demand for the warmer months and the production of the summer blend of gas used for those months.

The impacts of what’s happening in Iran may not be immediate, which could be part of why our region and the state overall have not seen a spike yet, he said.

“It could be a couple of days later. It could be up to a week later,” Garrity said.

A lot of people are watching what happens with the Strait of Hormuz. Iran borders it to the north, and 20% of the world’s oil goes through it.

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Iran is one of the world’s biggest oil producers, and China gets a lot of that oil.

“If there is an impact there, you could see oil start to come in from other parts of the world, which has a downstream effect on [the United States],” Garrity said.

One way you can save on gas if prices increase in our area is by slowing down.

“When you drive faster every five miles, over 50 miles an hour, your fuel efficiency is going down,” Garrity said. “You’re making the car work harder, making the gasoline consumption less effective.”

Garrity added that in 2022, when our area and many others saw some of the highest gas prices ever recorded, people changed their driving habits.

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“We saw people make seemingly permanent changes to their driving behaviors, driving less in general, consolidating trips,” he said.



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