The Department of Justice (DOJ) has opposed the release of audio recordings of President Biden’s interview with Special Counsel Robert Hur, citing concerns that “deep fakes” could emerge.
The Justice Department argued in a filing Friday night that if the audio is released, it could be altered and widely shared as the “authentic” recording.
“The passage of time and advances in audio, artificial intelligence, and ‘deepfake’ technology will only amplify concerns about malicious manipulation of audio files,” it said. FilingPolitico first obtained it.
“While certainly other raw materials for creating a deepfake of President Biden’s voice are already available, the release of the audio recording carries unique risks: if it becomes public knowledge that the audio recording has been released, it will be easier for bad actors to pass off altered files as authentic recordings,” the administration added in its 49-page filing.
Justice Department officials also said releasing the audio “would undermine significant privacy interests.”
Their claims come after Biden invoked executive privilege earlier this month to block House Republicans from obtaining a recording of an interview with Huh, who oversaw the investigation into classified documents found in Biden’s private residence and the Oval Office. The recording was made available to House Republicans before Huh’s public testimony in March.
The Biden administration’s concerns about AI-generated deepfakes come as government officials, experts and observers warn of the dangers they pose to future elections. The Justice Department noted in its filing that the recordings would not reveal any new information because the records are already public, and further argued that releasing the tapes could impede future investigations.
House Republicans and other outside groups backing the GOP effort to obtain the audio argue it could aid the impeachment inquiry into Biden.
Hoare’s 388-page report on Biden found that the then-vice president knowingly retained documents after he left the White House, but he stopped short of suing the president. Instead, he described Biden as a “caring, well-meaning old man with a bad memory.”
The House Judiciary and Oversight committees passed resolutions last month to censure Attorney General Merrick Garland, but Republicans, who hold a slim majority in the House, are unsure whether they have enough votes to hold him in contempt.
Deputy Attorney General Bradley Weinsheimer said: AffidavitWeinsheimer said that if the tape were made public, “bad actors” could spread deepfake versions of the recording, and argued that these “actors” could also insert or remove words from Biden’s responses to Hoare to distort the meaning of the president’s comments.
The backlash comes less than six months after a digitally altered message was created to sound like Biden urging New Hampshire voters to refrain from voting in the state’s primary.Took responsibilityThe call was indicted last week.
The Hill has reached out to the Department of Justice for comment.
