A New Orleans-based political operative accused of orchestrating robocalls that used an AI-generated voice that mimicked President Biden has been acquitted on all charges by a Belknap County Superior Court jury.
Steven Kramer admitted to creating the robocalls, which were delivered to thousands of New Hampshire homes just before the 2024 presidential primary. The messages encouraged voters to skip the event and “save their vote for the November election,” all in a voice that sounded eerily similar to that of the president.
Kramer previously worked for the campaign of Dean Phillips, who challenged Biden’s nomination before the former president ultimately dropped out of the race.
Kramer testified this week in Laconia, where he reportedly told jurors that he orchestrated the calls as a warning about the dangers of artificial intelligence, something he has told reporters since his arrest.
Several county attorneys across the state brought charges against Kramer in the months following the robocalls. The cases were ultimately consolidated into a single trial in which he faced 11 counts of voter suppression, a felony, as well as 11 counts of impersonating a political candidate.
After Friday’s acquittal, Attorney General John Formella thanked the jury for their service, and said his office remained committed to enforcing election laws.
“We will continue to work diligently to address the challenges posed by emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to protect the integrity of our elections,” said Formella.
A street magician told NBC News in February 2024 that he was hired by Kramer to make the artificial recording of Biden’s voice. The Phillips campaign denied any involvement in the scheme, and distanced itself from Kramer.
In September 2024, the Federal Communications Commission levied a $6 million fine against Kramer, who spoofed the calls to appear as if they were coming from a prominent local Democrat. Lingo Telecom, the company that delivered the robocalls, separately agreed to pay a $1 million fine for its role in the scheme.
