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Michigan Values PAC Accused of Using AI-Generated Ad Targeting Former Ambassador Bridget Brink
A newly formed political action committee, Michigan Values PAC, has come under fire after a complaint alleges that a television spot it ran in Michigan contains a deep‑fake video of former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink. The grievance was filed with the Michigan Bureau of Elections on June 23 2026 and asks the agency to investigate whether the PAC complied with state law.
Michigan Values PAC, which filed its statement of organization with the Federal Election Commission on May 22, spent $365,000 on cable television ads in the Lansing, Detroit and Flint markets. The ads attacked Brink—running as the Democratic nominee for Michigan’s 7th Congressional District—by labeling her as “Donald Trump’s hand‑picked ambassador.” The most controversial spot was a 30‑second clip that shows former President Trump holding a portfolio that appears to contain an image of Brink. The image was not taken from any real event; the complaint alleges it was generated by AI.
The complaint, submitted by a Lansing resident identified as a supporter of Brink’s campaign, states: “As of June 23, 2026, Michigan Values PAC, an out‑of‑state Super PAC, is running a political ad on broadcast television in Michigan that clearly uses artificial intelligence to falsely attack Democratic candidate for Congress Bridget Brink. The ad manipulates video of Donald Trump to make it seem as if he is holding a portfolio featuring an image of Brink – which has never occurred and was generated instead with AI.” The ad includes a disclaimer that it was paid for by Michigan Values PAC and was not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.
Michigan’s law, which became effective on February 13 2024, requires political advertisements that use AI to disclose the use of such technology. The complaint asks the Bureau of Elections to determine whether the PAC violated this requirement and to take appropriate legal action.
Michigan Advance, the outlet that reported the complaint, ran the ad through two AI‑detection tools. One tool concluded the video was likely human‑generated, while the other found no strong AI‑generation indicators. The discrepancy illustrates the difficulty of policing deepfakes under current technology.
Brink’s campaign responded by linking Michigan Values PAC to Vote Vets, a 501(c)(4) organization that supports Democratic veterans. Vote Vets has spent $750,000 on an ad buy that backs Brink’s opponent, former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam. The campaign noted that both PACs used the same ad‑buying service. In a statement, Brink said: “Matt Maasdam and his out‑of‑state, dark‑money allies are attacking me with AI deepfakes that mislead voters about my proven record standing up to Trump. This is exactly what’s wrong with politics, and voters will see straight through these lies and manipulation of the truth.”
Vote Vets’ spokesperson, Emma Grundhauser, countered by highlighting Maasdam’s pledge to reject corporate PAC money and to end the influence of dark money in elections. Grundhauser also pointed to End Citizens United’s endorsement of Maasdam, noting that the candidate has signed a pledge to ban stock trading by members of Congress.
Attempts to obtain comment from Michigan Values PAC and Vote Vets have so far been unsuccessful. Michigan Advance called the phone number listed for the PAC’s custodian of records, treasurer and designated agent, and was directed to an operator at MBA Consulting, a Washington, D.C. firm that provides compliance services for political campaigns. A voicemail was left requesting a response to the complaint. Emails sent to the PAC’s listed addresses and to Vote Vets also went unanswered.
The 7th Congressional District race is expected to be one of the most contested in the country. The Democratic primary is scheduled for August 4, 2026, and the winner will face Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett in the November general election. Other candidates in the primary include former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam and political organizer William Lawrence, who is also a member of End Citizens United’s Unrig Washington coalition.
The situation remains unresolved. Michigan’s Bureau of Elections has not yet announced whether it will open an investigation. The outcome will have implications for the enforcement of Michigan’s deep‑fake disclosure law and for the broader debate over AI‑generated political content.
Michigan Values PAC, which filed its statement of organization with the Federal Election Commission on May 22, spent $365,000 on cable television ads in the Lansing, Detroit and Flint markets. The ads attacked Brink—running as the Democratic nominee for Michigan’s 7th Congressional District—by labeling her as “Donald Trump’s hand‑picked ambassador.” The most controversial spot was a 30‑second clip that shows former President Trump holding a portfolio that appears to contain an image of Brink. The image was not taken from any real event; the complaint alleges it was generated by AI.
The complaint, submitted by a Lansing resident identified as a supporter of Brink’s campaign, states: “As of June 23, 2026, Michigan Values PAC, an out‑of‑state Super PAC, is running a political ad on broadcast television in Michigan that clearly uses artificial intelligence to falsely attack Democratic candidate for Congress Bridget Brink. The ad manipulates video of Donald Trump to make it seem as if he is holding a portfolio featuring an image of Brink – which has never occurred and was generated instead with AI.” The ad includes a disclaimer that it was paid for by Michigan Values PAC and was not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.
Michigan’s law, which became effective on February 13 2024, requires political advertisements that use AI to disclose the use of such technology. The complaint asks the Bureau of Elections to determine whether the PAC violated this requirement and to take appropriate legal action.
Michigan Advance, the outlet that reported the complaint, ran the ad through two AI‑detection tools. One tool concluded the video was likely human‑generated, while the other found no strong AI‑generation indicators. The discrepancy illustrates the difficulty of policing deepfakes under current technology.
Brink’s campaign responded by linking Michigan Values PAC to Vote Vets, a 501(c)(4) organization that supports Democratic veterans. Vote Vets has spent $750,000 on an ad buy that backs Brink’s opponent, former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam. The campaign noted that both PACs used the same ad‑buying service. In a statement, Brink said: “Matt Maasdam and his out‑of‑state, dark‑money allies are attacking me with AI deepfakes that mislead voters about my proven record standing up to Trump. This is exactly what’s wrong with politics, and voters will see straight through these lies and manipulation of the truth.”
Vote Vets’ spokesperson, Emma Grundhauser, countered by highlighting Maasdam’s pledge to reject corporate PAC money and to end the influence of dark money in elections. Grundhauser also pointed to End Citizens United’s endorsement of Maasdam, noting that the candidate has signed a pledge to ban stock trading by members of Congress.
Attempts to obtain comment from Michigan Values PAC and Vote Vets have so far been unsuccessful. Michigan Advance called the phone number listed for the PAC’s custodian of records, treasurer and designated agent, and was directed to an operator at MBA Consulting, a Washington, D.C. firm that provides compliance services for political campaigns. A voicemail was left requesting a response to the complaint. Emails sent to the PAC’s listed addresses and to Vote Vets also went unanswered.
The 7th Congressional District race is expected to be one of the most contested in the country. The Democratic primary is scheduled for August 4, 2026, and the winner will face Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett in the November general election. Other candidates in the primary include former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam and political organizer William Lawrence, who is also a member of End Citizens United’s Unrig Washington coalition.
The situation remains unresolved. Michigan’s Bureau of Elections has not yet announced whether it will open an investigation. The outcome will have implications for the enforcement of Michigan’s deep‑fake disclosure law and for the broader debate over AI‑generated political content.
