MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (Reuters) — As New Hampshire voters prepare to cast their ballots in the state’s first primary on Tuesday, a robocall using the fake voice of President Joe Biden is circulating in the state urging Democrats to stay home.
“It is important to save your vote for the November elections. . . . The call states that this Tuesday’s vote will only enable Republicans in their quest to re-elect Donald Trump.
New Hampshire attorney general John Formella announced he is investigating what he called “an illegal attempt to disrupt the New Hampshire Presidential Primary Election and suppress New Hampshire voters.”
“The Election Law Unit’s investigation continues,” he said.
Audio of the call was provided to Reuters by supporters of a campaign encouraging voters to write Biden’s name on their ballots. Biden’s campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, said the call was “disinformation” and an attempt to suppress the vote.
Support for Biden’s engagement campaign will be closely watched at a time when polling is weak for the 81-year-old president, but the results have no impact on the Democratic Party’s nominating contest.
The call was first reported by NBC News.
Biden’s name is not on the ballot Tuesday because the national Democratic Party made South Carolina its first official primary, ending New Hampshire’s historic status and angering some Democrats there.
In the audio, Biden’s “voice” can be heard using one of his signature phrases: “What a load of bullshit.”
The calls also included the personal cell phone number of former New Hampshire ballot measure commissioner and New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairwoman Kathy Sullivan.
Sullivan called the robocall an attempt to interfere with the election and demanded an investigation. It was unclear how widely the voice search spread.
Sullivan said in a statement that he was made aware of this Sunday night.
“Many people described receiving a fake voicemail that impersonated President Biden’s voice through artificial intelligence in an attempt to suppress their participation in the upcoming New Hampshire primary,” he said.