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The League of Women Voters is suing those involved in robocalls sent to New Hampshire voters

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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.

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“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.

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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.”

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One Person Dead, Another Seriously Injured In Nashua 2-Alarm Fire

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One Person Dead, Another Seriously Injured In Nashua 2-Alarm Fire


NASHUA, NH – Nashua Fire, police, and AMR ambulance were dispatched to a report of a fire in a 2-unit residence at 26 Cross Street Saturday.

On arrival at about 7:40 a.m., a second alarm was requested due to the fire’s intensity and the proximity of the adjacent structures.

People from the building were self-evacuating and notified firefighters of one person trapped in the building. Another person suffering from severe fire-related injuries was treated and transported from the scene by AMR medics.

Find out what’s happening in Nashuawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The victim was transported to the local hospital and was then flown by Boston MedFlight to a Boston Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

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Firefighters were able to protect any extensive damage to adjacent structures and bring the fire under control in about 30 minutes.

Find out what’s happening in Nashuawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

New Hampshire State Fire Marshal Sean Toomey confirmed that one person died in the fire and that the other victim was brought to a Nashua hospital and is being treated.

Fire Marshal Toomey said this is the fourth fire-related fatality this week in New Hampshire. A woman died in a fiery crash in Pelham. Two people died in fires Thursday: a man died in Concord and a man in Manchester.

Nashua Fire Rescue battled a fire at 6 Cross Street earlier this month, injuring and displacing several people.

Nashua Fire and Police also responded to and investigated a fatal car crash on Monday on Amherst Street that killed a woman and seriously injured a man.

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The NH State Fire Marshals Office, Nashua Fire, and police are investigating the fire.

©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news

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To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.



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Man Arrested in Shooting Death of Conway Woman – InDepthNH.org

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Man Arrested in Shooting Death of Conway Woman – InDepthNH.org


Concord, NH – Attorney General John M. Formella, New Hampshire State Police Colonel Mark Hall, and Conway Police Chief Christopher Mattei announce that Connor J. Macleod (age 24) has been arrested in connection with the death of Alexis M. Leach (age 23) in Conway, New Hampshire this morning.

On Thursday, April 25, 2024, at approximately 11:30 P.M., the Conway Police Department responded to an apartment located at the River Turn Woods apartment complex at 36 Council Road in Conway. Upon entering the location, officers encountered Connor Macleod, as well as Ms. Leach, who was suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Ms. Leach later died from her wound at Memorial Hospital in Conway.  An autopsy was conducted this afternoon by Deputy Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Mitchell Weinberg, who determined that the cause of Ms. Leach’s death was a gunshot wound to the neck, and the manner of her death was homicide.

Mr. Macleod was arrested on a charge of Manslaughter, contrary to RSA 630:2, I(b) for recklessly causing the death of Alexis M. Leach (01/12/2001) by shooting her with a firearm.

Mr. Macleod will be arraigned at a later date determined by the 3rd Circuit Court – District Division – Conway.



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Concord Real Estate Agent Arrested In New Hampshire GOP Keyed Cars Cases: Follow-Up

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Concord Real Estate Agent Arrested In New Hampshire GOP Keyed Cars Cases: Follow-Up


Lawrence Anthony Dunlap, 37, of South Spring Street in Concord, was arrested on Friday on 11 felony counts of criminal mischief. He was charged after a nearly two week investigation into close to a dozen vehicles that were keyed and damaged around Concord High School during the New Hampshire GOP convention at the school. The party rented the Christa McAuliffe Auditorium and the Main Street corridor for the function. In the early afternoon, when attendees began to leave, many with political license plates, including state representative registrations and political stickers, called police after seeing their vehicles damages.

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Detectives, according to Det. Sgt. Benjamin Mitchell of the Concord Police Department obtained video footage of a suspect — a white man with a beard and dark hair, riding a “longboard” skateboard near the damaged vehicles. A Concord Regional Crimeline alert was issued about the case and the suspect was later identified as Dunlap, Mitchell said.

A search warrant was requested for his apartment on South Spring Street.

On Friday morning, an “officer safety” BOLO (be-on-the-lookout) alert for “protective custody” with “possible mental health issues” was broadcast to law enforcement agencies around the state accusing Dunlap of leaving his home around 10:45 a.m. by foot. The alert stated a search warrant of Dunlap’s home “yielded firearms, a manifesto, suicide notes, and a bag containing zip ties, masks, and gloves.” In the alert, police said they believed all Dunlap’s vehicles were at his home. Police were working on an arrest warrant related to a felony criminal mischief incident, the alert stated.

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Patch arrived at the scene just a few minutes after his arrest on South Spring Street. Neighbors reported police were at the building for several hours.

After being arrested, Mitchell said, Dunlap was held on preventative detention.

Dunlap, according to his Facebook feed, made some vague political statements online, attempting to create conversations with his friends. Some posts, however, were overtly political, espousing left-of-center views. In one, he likened the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol building to “domestic terrorism” and shared a “socialism” graphic purporting to show “red” states received more in federal benefits than “blue” states.

“Some interesting data,” he wrote. “I did not fact-check it, so take it with a grain of salt.”

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Dunlap was hired as a real estate agent for Realty One Group Next Level in October 2022, according to a Facebook post as well as real estate information online.

Police are “continuing with this investigation,” Mitchell said, with detectives asking anyone with information to contact Det. Evan Cristy of the Problem Oriented Policing (POP) Unit at 603-225-8600.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the Concord Regional Crimeline at 603-226-3100 or online at concordregionalcrimeline.com.

A free, 24/7, confidential service can provide people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress or those around them with support, information, and local resources. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255).



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