Rebecca Cooke AI media incident — Oct 2026

An ethics complaint was filed with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission against Congressman Derrick Van Orden following allegations that he posted AI-generated content depicting his political opponent, Rebecca Cooke, without proper disclosure. The complaint follows a series of social media posts that Cooke’s campaign characterizes as a violation of state ethics laws.

What happened

The conflict centers on the use of AI-generated graphics and videos on social media platforms. According to a press release from the Cooke campaign, the congressman repeatedly posted content showing Cooke saying and doing things described as pure fiction. Attorneys for Cooke issued a cease-and-desist letter on September 30, 2026, warning that the campaign would pursue legal options if the use of what they termed an AI deepfake strawman continued.

Despite this warning, a new AI-generated graphic was posted, prompting the formal ethics complaint filed by an Eau Claire citizen on October 22, 2026. The Cooke campaign alleges that these actions demonstrate a disregard for both the cease-and-desist notice and applicable Wisconsin ethics rules. In response to the filing, Congressman Van Orden noted that the complaint was submitted by a private citizen.