A New Orleans political consultant who sent AI-generated robocalls mimicking former President Joe Biden to New Hampshire Democrats said Tuesday he will not comply with a federal court order requiring him to pay $22,500 to three voters.
According to The Associated Press, the order stems from a civil lawsuit filed by the League of Women Voters, which followed Steve Kramer’s acquittal on 22 criminal counts related to voter suppression and impersonating a candidate.
In the civil case, a default judgment was entered after Kramer failed to appear in court.
“I never responded to them because I was already acquitted on 22 counts,” Kramer wrote in an email.
He dismissed the lawsuit as a publicity stunt, calling it a waste of the court’s time. Kramer has also refused to pay a $6 million fine imposed by the Federal Communications Commission.
Though jurors sided with Kramer in the criminal trial, the civil court not only ordered him to pay $7,500 to each voter but also barred him from repeating the conduct nationwide.
Caren Short, director of legal and research at the League of Women Voters, called the ruling “a critical precedent against the weaponization of artificial intelligence in elections.”
“Mr. Kramer has shown a consistent disregard for the law and the rights of voters,” said Courtney Hostetler of Free Speech for People, which assisted the League. “His plan to defy the court’s order continues this pattern, and reinforces the importance of the injunction and the damages award.”
Kramer, 56, admitted orchestrating the robocalls ahead of New Hampshire’s Jan. 23, 2024, presidential primary. The AI-generated voice urged voters to skip the primary, suggesting their votes mattered only in November.
“This is going to be my one good deed this year,” Kramer testified, claiming he intended to alert the public to the dangers of AI in political campaigns. He paid a New Orleans magician $150 to produce the recording.
The primary itself was a largely symbolic event, held outside the Democratic National Committee’s calendar. Biden did not appear on the ballot but won as a write-in.
The FCC settled with the call-transmitting company, Lingo Telecom, for $1 million in August 2024. Meanwhile, states are increasingly regulating AI use in political campaigns, even as some federal voices, including President Trump, push to ease restrictions. Attorneys general from 36 states recently sent a letter to Congress opposing efforts to override state AI regulations.
