EAU CLAIRE — Democratic Congressional candidate Rebecca Cooke filed an ethics complaint on Thursday in response to another AI-generated graphic posted by Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Prairie du Chien).
This filing with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission follows a cease and desist letter that was sent on Sept. 30, addressing deepfake videos posted to Van Orden’s social media which used her likeness. Cooke and her legal counsel claimed she never made the statements attributed to her.
In a press release Thursday, they claim a graphic of Cooke was posted without disclosing that it is AI-generated and said this is “a direct violation of Wisconsin Ethics Laws.”
Cooke said, “Derrick Van Orden continues to spend his time posting AI-generated deepfakes instead of offering real solutions for the working families of our district. He has now gone so far as to violate Wisconsin’s ethics rules, but voters won’t be fooled, Van Orden has never put his constituents first, and he never will.
“Wisconsinites have made their stance clear: protect our farms and small businesses, keep money out of politics and stop building AI data centers. I am working to get these things done but Van Orden, out of touch as ever, has ignored their concerns, doubling down on deepfakes instead of offering real solutions. Wisconsinites deserve better.”
In response to Thursday’s filing, a member of Van Orden’s team shared a statement with the media.
Campaign Spokeswoman Grace Kim said, “Rebecca Cooke’s ethics complaint is nothing more than a cheap publicity stunt, filed three months too late in a desperate attempt to distract from her disastrous debate against Congressman Derrick Van Orden, where she was exposed for her record of supporting defunding the police, restricting Wisconsinites’ Second Amendment rights, allowing biological men to compete in women’s sports, granting amnesty to illegal aliens and backing the development of two data centers on Wisconsin farmland. Rather than answer for her record, Cooke is trying to change the subject. Wisconsin voters deserve the truth, and her record is all laid out at RebeccaLies.com.”
Both candidates are currently campaigning this fall for Wisconsin’s Third Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Cooke and Van Orden are set to appear on the ballot on Nov. 3.
