Ossoff pledges not to use deepfake campaign videos, while Collins digs in

The deepfake video of Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff produced by Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Collins’ campaign has rippled through the 2026 Senate race — and it likely won’t be the last AI stunt we see this cycle.

We asked each of Georgia’s leading U.S. Senate campaigns if they would “commit to not using deepfakes that misattribute or fabricate words or actions of their opponents to mislead voters.”

Ossoff was the only one to flat-out say yes.

“The only reason a candidate would need to use a deepfake to make up an opponent’s words and manipulate a video to deceive Georgians is if they didn’t think they could win on their own. Georgians don’t take well to people who lie to them,” a campaign aide said.

Credit: Sarah Peacock for the AJC

Credit: Sarah Peacock for the AJC

Republican Derek Dooley’s campaign mocked Collins for “shooting himself in the foot” with the attack, saying it will take a political outsider to beat Ossoff — “not AI video distractions.”

“If you want a preview of what a general election against Senator Ossoff will be like with Collins as the Republican nominee, this is it,” said Dooley aide Connor Whitney.

U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter didn’t respond. Collins, meanwhile, leaned in.

“We’re very pleased our ad got people talking about Jon Ossoff failing Georgians by shutting down the government,” the campaign said in a statement, “and we’ll continue to use all methods permissible under the law to expose the deep fake notion that Ossoff is anything other than a far-left lackey for Chuck Schumer.”

Friday news quiz

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Good morning! We’re only 59 days away from the start of Georgia’s legislative session. Lawmakers are busy finishing up their study committee work before they return to Atlanta. Speaking of study, how well did you follow the news this week? Find out by taking our quiz. You’ll find the answers at the end of this newsletter

Georgia voters have never elected a woman to be governor or lieutenant governor. But voters of what state recently elected a woman raised in Georgia to their state’s No. 2 job?

U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Tifton, voted to reopen the government this week. But he had strong reservations about the law that restored federal funding. Why?

DeKalb County commissioners are poised to renew a contract for a company that runs its ambulance service. Why are some people concerned about it?

State lawmakers studying the impacts of social media on students held a hearing this week. What was unusual about this hearing?

Hate crime

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

A North Carolina man is facing up to five years in prison for mailing a postcard to Georgia’s only Jewish lawmaker declaring “GASTHEJEWS.”

Ariel E. Collazo Ramos was convicted of mailing threatening communications with a hate crime enhancement earlier this month. His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 8.

State Rep. Esther Panitch, D-Sandy Springs, received the postcard on the same day Gov. Brian Kemp signed a law adding an antisemitism definition to Georgia’s hate crime statute. Panitch was a co-sponsor of the legislation and had advocated for its passage.

The postcard, which was also mailed to Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar of Temple Beth Israel, referenced Zyklon B, the chemical used by the Nazis to murder Jews during the Holocaust. Prosecutors noted both Bahar and Panitch had relatives who were murdered using this chemical.

The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by U.S. Attorney William “Will” R. Keyes. Panitch thanked them in a social media post.

“They understood that this wasn’t free speech — it was a true threat designed to terrorize and silence Jewish women for our advocacy,” Panitch posted on X.

Prosecutors say Ramos operated Patriot Candle Company, selling candles, postcards and other products depicting antisemitic and white nationalist themes.

Help wanted

Credit: Luis M. Alvarez/AP

Credit: Luis M. Alvarez/AP

President Donald Trump is using Georgia’s Hyundai plant as an example of why the country should keep its H-1B visa program — setting off yet another public split with U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome.

The program lets skilled foreign workers into the country, raising fears from MAGA that it reduces the number of high-paying jobs for Americans.

In an interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham, Trump suggested his administration’s immigration raid on the Georgia plant was counterproductive. He said South Korean workers were in the country to teach American workers how to make batteries, which he noted is a dangerous and complicated job.

“You’re going to need that,” Trump said.

Greene on Thursday introduced a bill to “aggressively” phase out the H-1B program. She said it “has been displacing American workers for decades.”

“If we want the next generation to have the American Dream, we must stop replacing them and start investing in them,” she said.

Greene insists she is still Trump’s ally. But the president this week said he believed Greene has “lost her way.”

Deadline day

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

We’re watching two deadlines today involving the 2020 presidential election.

First, we should find out who is replacing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis in the 2020 election interference case involving President Donald Trump. Pete Skandalakis, head of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, could appoint a prosecutor from elsewhere in the state, a private attorney, a staff member from the council — or even himself.

Second, today is the last day for Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections to produce numerous records related to the 2020 election. The U.S. Justice Department asked for those records two weeks ago, but so far the county has ignored the request.

It’s unclear what the government’s next step will be.

“We trust that the Department of Justice inquiry will compel the production of these documents and answer long held questions,” the Georgia Republican Party said in a news release.

Abortion banner

Credit: Mike Stewart/AP

Credit: Mike Stewart/AP

Georgia football fans looking to the sky on Saturday to celebrate a touchdown might see a reminder that abortion pills are available by mail.

Mayday Health, an abortion education nonprofit, says it will fly a banner over the Georgia-Texas football game in Athens highlighting options for pregnant women.

“If you are pregnant and do not want to be, you have options,” the banner reads. “Abortion pills are safe, FDA-approved, and available by mail nationwide.”

Georgia and Texas have some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country. Texas has a near total ban on abortion, with some exceptions if the life of the mother is danger. Georgia allows abortions up until fetal cardiac activity can be detected, which is typically around six weeks of pregnancy. The timeline is so tight that many women don’t even know they are pregnant.

There’s nothing in state law that bans out-of-state pharmacies from mailing abortion pills to Georgians. But in-state providers won’t do it because of a state law requiring an ultrasound before handing them out.

MayDay Health has done this before, including during the Indianapolis 500 in May. Sanford Stadium has been a popular place for political messages in the past. Last year, the Democratic National Committee flew a banner over Georgia’s home opener urging voters to “beat” Donald Trump. But Trump ultimately won Georgia.

Listen up

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Today in Washington

New school

Credit: Ben Gray for the AJC

Credit: Ben Gray for the AJC

Georgia Tech dedicated its new Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy on Thursday.

The school honoring the late U.S. president and first lady is part of the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts and is dedicated to “educating leaders who can ethically address societal problems through policy processes.”

Carter’s grandson, former state Sen. Jason Carter, was on hand for the ceremony. So were University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue and former United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young.

Georgia Tech is also home of the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, named after the former Georgia U.S. senator. Nunn attended Thursday’s ceremony, too.

Jimmy Carter went to Georgia Tech in 1942 before attending the U.S. Naval Academy.

Shoutouts

Credit: AJC file photo

Credit: AJC file photo

Today’s birthdays:

Transition:

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Before you go

Credit: Stephanie Scarbrough/AP

Credit: Stephanie Scarbrough/AP

Answers to this week’s news quiz:

That’ll do it for us today. As always, you can send your best scoops, gossip and insider info to greg.bluestein@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com and adam.beam@ajc.com.