(IntegrityPress.org) – The Department of Justice has conjured a novel excuse for failing to provide the complete audio transcripts of Joe Biden’s interviews with Special Counsel Robert Hur to the public: deepfakes. Deepfakes are artificial intelligence-produced copies of an individual using audio or video of the subject, or both, to train an AI which then can generate a version of the individual saying anything you want it to. A legal scholar has slammed the rationale as ridiculous and legally absurd.
The DOJ issued an explanation as to why it refused to publish the full audio after the contents had been sought by multiple parties, including House investigators considering impeachment on Friday, May 31. The 49-page exposition elaborates on the subject of deepfakes and how they can contribute to amplifying misinformation. The DOJ claimed that this audio could be “improperly altered” and then passed off as authentic.
The legal rationale is a flimsy attempt to deflect from multiple FOIA requests seeking the interviews. DOJ underling Bradley Weinsheimer signed an affidavit wherein he called the release of the audio a “substantial risk” that could result in an invasion of Joe Biden’s privacy rights. Weinsheimer suggested the release would be “extremely harmful,” due to the potential for the contents to be perverted, whereas Republicans believe they’re simply extremely harmful as they are.
Law professor Jonathan Turley called the filing and its claims “legally absurd” in comments given to the press. Turley highlighted that releasing the audio would actually make it harder to pass off a fake, as the original would be available in the public sphere. He argued that bad actors can take currently available recordings of Biden and create a deepfake if they wanted. Turley called the rationale “spurious” and said that the fact it was being hoisted suggested Attorney General Merrick Garland is completely partisan and politically corrupt.
Hur’s 388-page report suggested Biden intentionally withheld classified documents in violation of the law, but that prosecution was unwarranted due to Biden’s declining mental state. Conservatives have sought the audio recordings of Biden’s interviews with the Special Counsel and his staff, as well as recordings of Hur’s interview with Biden’s ghostwriter, who was also given illegal access to classified documents during the production of Biden’s memoir. Biden was paid a cool $8 million advance for the rights.
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