Adam Schiff’s Push to Ban AI Parodying Political Candidates

Adam Schiff is advocating for a ban on AI-generated parodies of political figures, which is, to say the least, ironic.

Think back to 2019 when Schiff led the impeachment efforts against President Donald Trump. During that time, he fabricated a phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. When Republicans pointed out that Schiff had misrepresented the actual discussions central to the accusations, he brushed it off as merely a “parody.” It wasn’t exactly a laughing matter for anyone involved.

Fast forward to now, and Schiff has proposed a bill that aims to forbid “misrepresentation through the use of content generated in whole or in part through artificial intelligence” in political ads.

This isn’t the first time Schiff has tried to limit free expression in this manner. He’s following the lead of California Governor Gavin Newsom, who enacted a similar law in 2024 to shield Kamala Harris from AI-generated “deepfake” parodies.

A federal judge recently shot down Newsom’s bill, asserting it infringes on “constitutionally protected speech.” The judge commented, somewhat humorously, that requiring disclaimers on AI parodies—something Schiff’s bill also intends—would “kill the joke.”

At least Newsom made a half-hearted attempt to recognize parody as a legitimate use of AI. Schiff’s proposal, however, seems to leave no room for humor at all. It’s almost as if he lacks a sense of humor himself.

Joining Schiff in this odd endeavor is Representative Ro Khanna, a Democrat who is well aware of the concept of defamation. This is particularly relevant given Schiff’s past false accusations against several individuals regarding ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

Although Schiff likes to portray himself as a defender of free speech—often stepping up for people like Jimmy Kimmel—his stance shifts dramatically when it comes to others’ comedic expressions, especially if they’re poking fun at him.

There’s a reason this somewhat problematic idea is reemerging despite being previously dismissed by the courts. It may be linked to Spencer Pratt’s candidacy for mayor of Los Angeles this year, which inspired numerous creators to produce AI-generated videos lampooning both the sitting mayor, Karen Bass, and Newsom.

Even though Pratt’s team didn’t create these ads, their viral success significantly boosted his public profile. Currently, anyone can craft an AI parody, but it seems conservatives are especially benefiting from this trend. This might explain why Schiff feels the need to intervene.

Ultimately, it’s a strange twist when it comes to the First Amendment—perhaps it’s fitting to label it as parody.