Vikki Goodwin Files Police Report Over 2 Dan Patrick AI Ads
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 19
Vikki Goodwin Files Police Report Over 2 Dan Patrick AI Ads
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 19
Summary
Saturday’s filing accuses Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick of violating the state’s political deepfake law with two AI-generated ads portraying Democratic challenger Vikki Goodwin saying words she never said.
Those videos were posted on Patrick’s social media accounts in the first two weeks of September, and Goodwin called the conduct criminal in an affidavit attached to the police report.
Texas law bars AI-generated deepfake videos of political candidates within 30 days of an election, leaving uncertainty over whether the ads fall under the statute because November Election Day is still more than 30 days away.
The complaint lands as campaigns nationwide increasingly use AI in 2026 midterm attack ads, with Goodwin’s move appearing to be among the few efforts to seek criminal penalties.