Shady Schimel Caught Falsely Manipulating Image in Ad; Raising Ethical Questions

MADISON, Wis. – Shady Brad Schimel’s latest TV advertisement features a manipulated image of Judge Susan Crawford, raising ethical questions and potential violations of a state law requiring transparency in political ads using AI-manipulated images. Schimel’s shady and desperate attempt to distort Judge Crawford’s image reflects his focus on misleading voters rather than addressing his own record of failure.

See the Shady Schimel campaign’s falsely manipulated image here and below.

In response, campaign spokesman Derrick Honeyman released the following statement:

“Brad Schimel’s dishonesty, shadiness, and soft-on-crime record knows no bounds. Schimel will try to manipulate images and the facts because he’s desperate to hide his own record of failure. After letting 6,000 sexual assault kits sit untested for two years and allowing domestic abusers to walk with no jail time, Schimel is now potentially violating state law by altering Judge Crawford’s image in his latest smear campaign. The law – passed on an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote in 2023 – is clear: if AI was used in a political ad, it must be disclosed or face a fine. It’s unsurprising that Shady Schimel is struggling to follow the law.”

Read more from the Associated Press below:

Associated Press: Altered image of Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate in new ad raises ethics concerns

• A new television attack ad in Wisconsin’s hotly contested Supreme Court race features a doctored image of the liberal candidate, a move that her campaign claims could be a violation of a recently enacted state law.
• The Schimel campaign ad begins and ends with a black-and-white image of Crawford with her lips closed together. A nearly identical color image from her 2018 run for Dane County Circuit Court shows Crawford with a wide smile on her face.
• Crawford’s campaign accused Schimel of manipulating the image, potentially in violation of a state law enacted last year. The law, passed with bipartisan support in the Legislature and signed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, requires disclosure if political ads use audio or video content created by generative artificial intelligence. Failure to disclose the use of AI as required can result in a $1,000 fine.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.