State Democrats File Complaint Over Blakeman’s AI Ads, Accuse County Exec Of Flouting Election Law

ALBANY, NY — Bruce Blakeman’s campaign for governor is under fire from state Democrats this week after the chair of New York’s Democratic Committee accused him of violating election law Monday.

In a complaint filed Monday with the State Board of Elections, Aug. 10, State Democratic Committee Chair Jay Jacobs claimed that Blakeman’s campaign had violated a 2026 New York election law by using artificial intelligence in its campaign ads without disclosing that AI had been used. The state election law, Jacobs wrote, requires that, "any political communication—whether printed, digital, video, or audio—that contains 'materially deceptive media' must include a statement that the image, video, or audio 'has been manipulated.'"

“The Blakeman for New York committee has repeatedly disregarded that requirement,” Jacobs wrote to the State Board of Elections Monday. “The Blakeman campaign has been proud to convert taxpayer dollars into campaign funds and then use those public matching funds to support campaign activities that violate the Election Law.”

The State Board of Elections could not be reached for comment Tuesday, while Blakeman’s campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

When asked about an AI ad in July, Blakeman told PIX11 that he uses “every tool available” on the campaign trail.

“Well, I use every tool available,” Blakeman told PIX11. “AI is very good at producing things that people want to watch, entertaining videos on important political issues. Sometimes we use humor and satire, which has been used in politics since George Washington.”

That use of “humor and satire,” Jacobs argued, was tantamount to violating election law. In his complaint, Jacobs said the state should “take all steps” to ensure the campaign was complying with election laws.

“The State Board of Elections cannot permit a campaign to repeatedly flout the Election Law, and it certainly cannot permit that campaign to pull down public matching funds in furtherance of this subversion,” Jacobs said. “The Board and the PCFB should take all steps to ensure that the disclaimer obligations are applied consistently and that state dollars are not being used by campaigns in a way that violate state law.”

Blakeman’s access to "state dollars" has already been the subject of a multi-part lawsuit in the Spring. In that lawsuit, Blakeman was able to restore his access to state matching funds after the campaign finance board ruled that he had improperly filed his paperwork and failed to properly list Todd Hood, now his lieutenant governor candidate, on his campaign forms.

Gov. Kathy Hochul's campaign has previously said that Blakeman’s use of AI in ads amounts to “straight up lying."

“While Bruce Fakeman has resorted to straight up lying to New Yorkers, Team Hochul doesn't need AI ads to tell voters about our opponent jacking up property taxes on Long Islanders, letting violent crime hit decade highs on his watch, or running an armed MAGA militia that undercuts local cops – he did all that in real life,” Hochul campaign spokesperson Ryan Radulovacki said on July 22.

As for Blakeman, the County Executive is scheduled to have a high-profile visit on the campaign trail Friday: President Donald Trump. Blakeman said Monday that he was “grateful” for Trump’s decision to visit Nassau County for a law enforcement event.

The visit and the complaint come about three months from election day, with Blakeman trailing Hochul in statewide polls.