The Department of Justice (DOJ) has resisted releasing audio recordings of President Biden’s interview with special counsel Robert Hur, citing concerns that “deep fakes” could emerge.
The DOJ argued in a filing Friday night that if the audio were released, it could end up being altered and considered an “authentic” recording that would be shared widely.
“The passage of time and advances in audio, artificial intelligence and ‘deep fake’ technologies only amplify concerns about the malicious manipulation of audio files,” according to the archivingfirst obtained by Politico.
“Certainly, other raw material to create a deepfake of President Biden’s voice is now available, but releasing the audio recording presents unique risks: if it were public knowledge that the audio recording was released, it would be easier for bad actors to -intended to pass off an altered file as the true recording”, added the administration in the 49-page document.
DOJ officials also said releasing the audio “would harm substantial privacy interests.”
Their argument comes after Biden invoked executive privilege earlier this month to block House Republicans from obtaining recordings of his interview with Hur, who oversaw the investigation into confidential documents found in Biden’s private residence and vice president’s former office. -presidency. A transcript of the interview was released to Republican Party members ahead of Hur’s public testimony in March.
The Biden administration’s concerns about AI-generated deep fakes come as officials, experts and observers warn of the dangers they could inflict on the upcoming election. In the process, the DOJ noted that no new information would be discovered through the recordings, since the transcript has already been released, and further pressed that releasing the tapes would harm future investigations.
House Republicans and other outside groups supporting the GOP effort to obtain the audio argue it would help them in their impeachment inquiry against Biden.
Although Hur’s 388-page report on Biden concluded that the then-vice president deliberately withheld documents after leaving the White House, he stopped short of bringing charges against the president. Instead, he described Biden as a “nice, well-intentioned elderly man with a poor memory.”
The House Judiciary and Oversight committees passed resolutions to censure Attorney General Merrick Garland earlier this month. Still, Republicans aren’t sure they have enough votes to hold him in contempt given their slim majority in the lower chamber.
Bradley Weinsheimer, the department’s associate deputy attorney general, filed suit declaration, stating that “malicious actors” could spread a deeply false version of the recording if the tape were released publicly. Weinsheimer also claimed that these “actors” could insert or remove words from Biden’s responses to Hur, distorting the meaning of the president’s comments.
The backlash also comes less than 6 months after a digitally altered message created to sound as if Biden was urging voters in New Hampshire not to vote in the primary. The political consultant who took responsibility for the call she was indicted last week.
The Hill has reached out to the DOJ for comment.
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