Caucus: Winder targeted with fake audio messages

Senate President Pro Tem Chuck Winder, R-Boise, was allegedly the target of manipulated audio messages over the weekend.

The Idaho State Senate Majority caucus released a statement Monday evening condemning the “deepfake” robocalls.

“This call, crafted by an out-of-state group, was disseminated to constituents in Senator Winder’s district, spreading fabricated statements with the intent to manipulate voter perception ahead of the primary election,” the emailed statement said.

The political action committee Make Liberty Win reportedly sent texts and left voicemails to voters over the weekend, targeting Winder and others, KTVB reported Monday. The texts were identified as coming from the Virginia-based committee, and were sent the same day as the voicemails, KTVB reported.

The voicemails seem to take audio from floor debate this year and play it out of context.

This year, the Legislature passed a law requiring synthetically generated calls that misleadingly represent candidates ahead of elections to disclose that the media was synthetically created or manipulated.

HB 664 was targeted at the rising prevalence of AI-generated images and audio and allows the candidate who has been misrepresented to seek injunctive relief from the courts or sue for damages against the group or individual who created the media.

House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, and House Assistant Majority Leader Sage Dixon, R-Ponderay, co-sponsored the bill, which went into effect as soon as it was signed by the governor.

The voicemails don’t appear to use AI-generated voices, but edited clips of existing audio.

Winder and Senate Majority Caucus Chairperson Mark Harris, R-Soda Springs, who sent the news release, did not immediately respond to calls for comment.

Winder is facing Josh Keyser in the District 20 Senate Republican primary contest. The election is May 21.

The caucus statement urged voters to question the sources of information they receive “and seek truth and accuracy in their political engagement.”

“It is imperative that we work together — across all levels of government and with technology providers — to implement measures that prevent the proliferation of digital misinformation and protect our electoral processes,” the statement said. “We pledge to uphold the highest standards of integrity and to foster a political environment where truth and honesty prevail.”

Guido covers Idaho politics for the Lewiston Tribune, Moscow-Pullman Daily News and Idaho Press of Nampa. She may be contacted at lguido@idahopress.com and can be found on X @EyeOnBoiseGuido.