Fake video accused Maine Democrat of threatening staffers with axe
AI-altered video of Jackson accuses the Democrat of threatening his staffers with an axe.
Maine Senate candidate Troy Jackson, a Democrat, is facing allegations of threatening his staffers with an axe following the release of a fabricated video. According to data analysis service NewsGuard, the video appears to be a legitimate news report from Maine TV station WABI. The anchor in the video claims that Jackson threatened to kill any insubordinate staffer with an axe.
Jackson is challenging Republican incumbent Susan Collins in the Senate race. Several polls show Jackson leading Collins, making her seat crucial for Republicans to maintain control of the U.S. Senate.
Kim Petry, WABI's vice president, confirmed to NewsGuard that the video was fabricated and not produced, aired, or authorized by WABI. The firm stated that Jackson's campaign did not respond to two emails seeking comment on the video. An identical video targeted Democratic Senate candidates James Talarico and Sherrod Brown from Texas and Ohio, respectively.
These videos were reportedly produced by a Russian influence operation known as Storm-1516, which routinely creates fabricated articles and videos impersonating legitimate media outlets.
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