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New Hampshire
The League of Women Voters is suing those involved in robocalls sent to New Hampshire voters
CONCORD, N.H. — The League of Women Voters filed a lawsuit Thursday seeking to prevent those who sent robocalls mimicking President Joe Biden’ s voice to New Hampshire voters from using artificial intelligence for future deceptions.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in New Hampshire against Steve Kramer, the political consultant behind the call, and two Texas companies authorities believe were involved in transmitting it: Lingo Telecom and Life Corporation. Citing violations of both state law and federal law, it asks a judge to impose fines and bar the defendants from producing and distributing AI-generated robocalls without permission from those being impersonated.
At issue is a message sent to thousands of New Hampshire voters on Jan. 21 featured a voice similar to Biden’s falsely suggesting that voting in the state’s first-in-the-nation presidential primary two days later would preclude them from casting ballots in November. Kramer, who paid a magician and self-described “digital nomad” who does technology consulting $150 to create the recording, has said he orchestrated the call to publicize the potential dangers of artificial intelligence and spur action from lawmakers.
Attorneys representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuit said Thursday they will challenge that “self-serving” explanation.
“Regardless of the motivation, the intent here was to suppress the vote and to threaten and coerce voters into not voting out of fear that they might lose their right to vote. That’s why we’re bringing this case,” said Mark Herring, a former attorney general in Virginia.
A spokesperson for Kramer declined to comment on the lawsuit, saying his attorneys had not yet received it. Lingo Telecom and Life Corporation did not immediately respond to messages requesting comment.
Sophisticated generative AI tools, such as voice-cloning software and image generators, already are in use in elections in the U.S. and around the world, leading to concerns about the rapid spread of misinformation.
Paul Carpenter poses for a photo during an interview in New Orleans, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. Carpenter says he was hired in January to use AI software to imitate President Joe Biden’s voice to convince New Hampshire Democrat voters not to vote in the state’s presidential primary. Credit: AP/Matthew Hinton
Bipartisan efforts in Congress have sought to regulate AI in political campaigns, but no federal legislation has passed.
Since the New Hampshire robocalls, however, the FCC has outlawed robocalls that contain voices generated by artificial intelligence, and major tech companies have signed a pact to adopt precautions voluntarily to prevent AI tools from being used to disrupt elections.
The potential for such disruption means the League of Women Voters and other civic organizations to change course, said Courtney Hostetler of Free Speech for People, which is serving as co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs.
“The League of Women Voters is now shifting their scant resources to deal with this new threat, and it comes at the cost of all the other people they would otherwise be encouraging to vote, educating, helping them register, helping them learn their rights,” she said.
Celina Stewart, chief counsel at the League of Women Voters, was in New Hampshire for the primary and said the calls created unnecessary chaos.
“Should the league or should election workers who already work often 12- to 16-hour shifts to implement the election have the burden of overcoming the obstacle of a robo call?” she said. “The answer to that has to be a hard no.”
Crime
Elijah Allman’s arrest on March 1 was his second in New Hampshire in a matter of days.
A court hearing for Cher’s son Wednesday over allegations he broke into a New Hampshire home this month has been canceled.
Elijah Allman’s arrest on March 1 was his second in New Hampshire in a matter of days. Allman, the 49-year-old son of the iconic singer and actress, was also detained Feb. 27, accused of acting belligerently at a prestigious prep school in Concord.
It is unclear if Allman, of Malibu, California, has any connection to the home in Windham, New Hampshire. He is being held in the Rockingham County Department of Corrections, Superintendent Jonathan Banville said.
The hearing Wednesday was continued until an undetermined date after Allman got an attorney Wednesday morning. The attorney, Sarah Landres, did not respond to a request for comment.
Allman, whose father was the late singer Gregg Allman, is charged with two counts of criminal mischief, one count of burglary and a count of breach of bail for breaking into the home on March 1. Police said in a report that Allman did not have permission to be at the home and forcibly entered it.
Officials at St. Paul’s School said Allman last month identified himself as the parent of a prospective student and slipped into the dining hall as some students were leaving the building. Police responded to reports that he was disturbing people in the building.
He was charged with four misdemeanors in the school incident: two counts of simple assault, criminal trespass and criminal threatening. Allman was also charged with a violation of disorderly conduct, which is illegal in the state but not considered a crime. He was released on bail.
Allman did not respond to an email requesting comment, and a phone number for him was not working.
In December 2023, Cher filed a petition to become a temporary conservator overseeing her son’s money, saying Allman’s struggles with his mental health and addiction have left him unable to manage his assets and potentially put his life in danger.
The petition says the superstar performer’s son is entitled to regular payments from a trust fund. But “given his ongoing mental health and substance abuse issues,” she is “concerned that any funds distributed to Elijah will be immediately spent on drugs, leaving Elijah with no assets to provide for himself and putting Elijah’s life at risk,” the petition says.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Jessica Uzcategui denied the request, saying she was not convinced that a conservatorship was urgently needed. Allman was in the courtroom with his attorneys, who acknowledged his previous struggles but argued that he was in a good place, was attending meetings, getting treatment and reconciling with his estranged wife.
The son of Cher is scheduled to be in court Wednesday for a hearing over allegations he broke into a New Hampshire home earlier this month.
It was the second arrest in a matter of days for Elijah Allman, 49, of Malibu, California, who was detained Feb. 27 after allegedly acting belligerently at a prestigious prep school in New Hampshire. It was unclear if Allman had any connection to either St. Paul’s School or the home in Windham, New Hampshire.
Allman remains in the Rockingham County Department of Corrections in what is called preventive detention, Superintendent Jonathan Banville said.
Allman, whose father was the late singer Gregg Allman, faces two counts of criminal mischief, one count of burglary and a count of breach of bail for breaking into the home on March 1. Police said in a report that Allman did not have permission to be at the home and forcibly entered it .
In the incident at the prep school, Allman was charged with four misdemeanors: two counts of simple assault, criminal trespass and criminal threatening. Allman was also charged with a violation of disorderly conduct, which is illegal in the state but not considered a crime.
At about 7 p.m. that day, Concord police responded to reports that Allman was disturbing people in the dining hall of St. Paul’s School. After charging Allman, police said he was released on bail as his case works through the court system.
Allman did not respond to an email requesting comment, and a phone number for him was not working. It was unclear from the court records if Allman has an attorney.
In December 2023, Cher filed a petition to become a temporary conservator overseeing her son’s money, saying Allman struggles with mental health issues and addiction have left him unable to manage his assets and potentially put his life in danger.
The petition from the singer and actress said Elijah Allman is entitled to regular payments from a trust fund. But “given his ongoing mental health and substance abuse issues,” she is “concerned that any funds distributed to Elijah will be immediately spent on drugs, leaving Elijah with no assets to provide for himself and putting Elijah’s life at risk,” the petition says.
A few weeks later, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Jessica Uzcategui denied the request, saying she was not convinced that a conservatorship was urgently needed. Allman was in the courtroom with his his attorneys, who acknowledged his previous struggles but argued that he is in a good place now, attending meetings, getting treatment and reconciling with his previously estranged wife.
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