An AI-generated online video smearing U.S. Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) and praising Mark Coester, a man who is in a primary race to become her Republican opponent, shows how artificial imagery is already assuming a role in elections in Vermont.
The video, which does not contain any information about who made it and is not labeled as a political advertisement, was shared on X by the account of Planet Hank. That’s the handle used by Hank Poitras, a Brattleboro man who has gained notoriety for filming arrests and posting them on the internet. Online commentators and news outlets including Vermont Public and the Keene Sentinel have written about Poitras’ history of controversial and misogynistic online commentary. (He offered Vermont Public a “blanket apology” but claimed his remarks had been taken out of context.”)
The video depicts Balint making arrogant statements.
“Straws are banned, and if those farmers don’t like it, they can leave,” the AI likeness of Balint says while standing in front of the Vermont Statehouse. “Vermont is my state. I decide what’s going to happen. Your tax money is spent and there is nothing anyone can do to stop me.”
A likeness of Coester, a logger from Westminster, then says he will stop Balint because “Vermont is for Americans” not “radical communists.” The video shows Coester telling Balint to “Go Back to New Jersey” and wagging a finger at her on the Statehouse steps as he describes how he’s going cut taxes to lower the cost of living.
He climbs into a backhoe, scoops up a screaming Balint and drops her into a dumpster.
The video was posted on Sunday and had 841 views as of Tuesday afternoon. Balint, who is running unopposed in the August 11 Democratic primary, is seeking a third term as the state’s sole member in the U.S. House of Representatives. Coester is vying against Gerald Malloy in a primary to become the GOP nominee.
Balint denounced the video.
“This ad is offensive and a dangerous example of what happens when AI is used to deceive voters,” Balint wrote in a statement. “Fabricating my voice and image to put words in my mouth is a new low. Free speech is a cornerstone of our democracy, but impersonation and deception are not.”
She added that the video was an example of why she introduced the federal NO FAKES Act. The goal of the bill is to “give people protections against unauthorized AI replicas of their voice and likeness and bring greater transparency and accountability to AI-generated content.”
Coester said he didn’t make the video but shared it on social media as soon as he saw it.
“I think he did a great job. Hilarious!” Coester told Seven Days on Tuesday.
Poitras could not immediately be reached.
Coester said he knew who “Planet Hank” was but declined to share any information about him. Pressed on this point, Coester referred to a Seven Days reporter as a “libtard fuck.”
The Vermont legislature passed a bill this past session requiring that political ads run within 90 days of an election must disclose if they were “created or intentionally manipulated with the use of digital technology, including artificial intelligence.”
The law includes exemptions for “deceptive and fraudulent synthetic media constituting satire or parody.” Gov. Phil Scott signed it into law on March 5, and it went into effect at that time.
The video is not a political ad, Coester said, and therefore isn’t covered by the “synthetic media” law, he said.
He also said he felt the Vermont law did not apply to him because he’s a candidate for federal, not state office. Even if the law did apply to him, he said, he isn’t in a primary against Balint and is therefore outside the 90-day time period requiring ads that use AI to be disclosed.
“It’s not a deepfake. It’s not trying to portray anybody saying something they didn’t. It’s obviously satire,” Coester said.
Rep. Matt Birong (D-Vergennes) disagrees. His committee passed S.23 this session. He called the video “bonkers.”
“This is definitely the type of irresponsible/half assed content that the legislation was intended to address,” Birong said.
The Vermont Attorney General is responsible for enforcing the law. A spokesperson for Attorney General Charity Clark declined to comment.
Coester didn’t seem concerned.
“These commie fucks in Vermont pass whatever garbage fuckin’ laws they want to,” he said. “They can do what and they can kiss my ass because I didn’t create the video and I didn’t pay for it.”
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