FCC hits political consultant behind fake, Biden-voice robocalls in New Hampshire with $6M fine

Consultant Steve Kramer faces two dozen criminal charges in New Hampshire in connection with the AI-generated calls.

Published: May 23, 2024 12:43pm

Updated: May 23, 2024 12:49pm

The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday imposed a $6 million fine on the political consultant who sent AI-generated robocalls to voters before this year's New Hampshire presidential primary that mimicked President Joe Biden’s voice.

The consultant, Steve Kramer, faces two dozen criminal charges in New Hampshire in connection with the fake calls, according to the Associated Press.

He has admitted to orchestrating a message that was sent to thousands of voters two days before the first-in-the-nation primary But Kramer did not immediately respond Thursday to a request for comment by the wire service.

The fake call suggested that having voted in the January primary would have precluded voters from casting a ballot in November and was an apparent attempt to suppress voter turnout for the GOP presidential primary.

"It's important that you save your vote for the November election ... voting this Tuesday only enables the Republicans in their quest to elect Donald Trump again," the voice says.

Kramer is facing 13 felony charges alleging he violated a New Hampshire law against attempting to deter someone from voting using misleading information, according to court documents reviewed by the Associated Press.

He also faces 11 misdemeanor charges accusing him of falsely representing himself as a candidate by his own conduct or that of another person. The will be prosecuted by the New Hampshire state attorney general’s office.

Unlock unlimited access

  • No Ads Within Stories
  • No Autoplay Videos
  • VIP access to exclusive Just the News newsmaker events hosted by John Solomon and his team.
  • Support the investigative reporting and honest news presentation you've come to enjoy from Just the News.
  • Just the News Spotlight

    Support Just the News