📰 No Regrets: The Political Consultant Who Used AI to Mimic Biden in Controversial Robocalls
By Holly Ramer | Updated June 11, 2025
📞 When AI calls, should you pick up?
Meet Steven Kramer, a 56-year-old political consultant from New Orleans who's currently in the hot seat — literally and figuratively — in a New Hampshire courtroom. He’s on trial for sending AI-generated robocalls that mimicked former President Joe Biden’s voice, urging New Hampshire voters to skip their January 2024 presidential primary.
What’s his take? Kramer says he doesn’t regret it.
🤖 The Robo-Call that Raised Eyebrows
Two days before New Hampshire’s January 23, 2024 presidential primary, thousands received a call with a voice eerily similar to Biden’s. The message dropped his classic catchphrase, “What a bunch of malarkey,” then encouraged voters to hold off casting ballots in the primary. The twist? The calls suggested that voting in the primary would prevent voters from voting in the November general election — a stark misdirection, prosecutors argue.
“It’s important that you save your vote for the November election,” the AI voice warned.
🎯 Kramer claims his goal was never to swing an election, but to raise alarms about AI's unchecked use in political campaigns — a nod to a world where deepfakes and synthetic media can disrupt democracy.
⚖️ The Legal Showdown
Kramer is facing 22 charges, including voter suppression and impersonating a political candidate. If convicted, he could be looking at decades behind bars.
But here’s the cheeky kicker: Kramer told the jury he didn’t view the primary as a "real" election, pointing out that former President Biden didn’t even appear on the ballot, instead winning as a write-in candidate.
He argues:
- The primary was a meaningless straw poll, not sanctioned by the Democratic National Committee (DNC).
- Voters were effectively disenfranchised during the call timeframe.
His attorney, Tom Reid, asked if Kramer thought he’d broken any laws. Kramer was adamant: “I’m positive I did not.”
He even said he has no regrets and that his stunt probably nudged lawmakers toward regulating AI use in elections.
💸 On the financial front, Kramer faces a hefty $6 million fine from the Federal Communications Commission — which he says he won’t pay. Meanwhile, Lingo Telecom, the company that transmitted the calls, settled with a $1 million payment.
🎩 The Magician's Touch?
How'd they get the AI voice? Kramer paid a New Orleans magician $150 to create the recording. Think of it as a modern-day wizardry act, just a little more political.
The magician’s role adds a layer of intrigue and leaves one wondering: when will such tech tricks be tightly regulated?
🔎 What Voters Heard and Reactions
Voters heard what seemed like a note from former New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Kathy Sullivan, including her number to opt out of the calls. Sullivan herself was baffled and outraged after receiving the message, feeling it was a direct attempt to suppress Biden’s vote.
She testified that Kramer admitted using her number intentionally because he knew she’d report the calls to both law enforcement and the media.
“My sense was he was trying to convince me that he’d done this defensible, good thing,” said Sullivan. “But I thought, ‘What does he think I am — stupid?’ He tried to suppress the vote.”
🚨 Why This Matters
This case is a poster child for the wild, wild west of AI in politics — how technology's ability to mimic voices and spread false information can confuse voters and potentially disrupt democratic processes.
It raises some big questions:
- How should laws catch up with tech?
- When does AI use cross the line from creative execution to outright misinformation or voter suppression?
- How can campaigns stay ethical in an age where someone can imitate a candidate’s voice with just a touch of tech wizardry?
💡 Final Thoughts
If you ever get a strange call from anybody resembling a public figure, it might just be a mashup of AI and a magician’s skills — or perhaps a legal powder keg in the making.
Kramer’s trial reminds us to stay skeptical, stay informed, and stay tuned as the courtroom battles over AI’s role in democracy unfold.
Until then, it’s safe to say this story will have you thinking twice before hanging up — or picking up.
Stay sharp out there, friend! And if you want to keep tabs on AI’s impact in politics (and all things tech), you know where to find me.
See you next Thursday! ✨
— Holly