AI deepfake video tarnishes Oklahoma governor race; and Kansas has no defense | Opinion - Yahoo
A political PAC used AI-generated deepfake video to smear Oklahoma gubernatorial candidate Mike Mazzei by depicting him in fabricated meetings with Hillary Clinton
- Incident date
- Jun 2026
- Target
- Mike Mazzei
In the lead-up to the June 2026 Oklahoma primary, a political action committee utilized AI-generated deepfake technology to target Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Mazzei. The campaign surfaced realistic videos intended to deceive voters regarding Mazzei's political associations and character.
What happened
The deepfake video, produced by a PAC named "Make Oklahoma Great Again," falsely depicted Mike Mazzei in the Oval Office and a park with former First Lady Hillary Clinton. The content was highly realistic, though the depiction of Clinton appeared significantly younger than her current age. Crucially, the video contained no disclosure or disclaimer indicating that the events were fabricated using artificial intelligence.
The PAC behind the ad, "Make Oklahoma Great Again," was funded by a $900,000 donation from a nonprofit organization called the "Oklahoma Leadership Advocacy Group." Investigative reporting by KFOR identified Jarred Brejcha as the operative managing both the PAC and the nonprofit. Brejcha also serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the political consulting firm CAMP, which has been paid over $1 million to manage the gubernatorial campaign of candidate Gentner Drummond. Despite his role, Brejcha claimed he had no involvement with the Drummond campaign. The incident highlights the vulnerability of political processes to anonymous, AI-driven disinformation campaigns, especially in jurisdictions without specific regulations requiring the labeling of manipulated media.