Blab AI
Ohio Rep. Gary Click Shares AI-Generated Video of Himself Signing Declaration of Independence
On July 4, 2026, Ohio State Representative Gary Click posted a roughly 12‑minute video on his official Facebook page that thrusts an AI‑rendered version of the legislator into a candlelit chamber alongside the Founding Fathers. The clip, which Click described as a “video enhanced by my imagination,” shows a figure resembling him holding a smartphone to take a selfie with several bewigged figures, while the words “ABUSES AND USURPATIONS” flash across the screen.
Click, a Republican from Vickery serving his third term in the Ohio House, added a caption that reads: “Have you ever dreamed of visiting the Founding Fathers during the most notable times of American history? I have. Now, thanks to AI, I’ve done it.” He urged followers to “take time to learn about the founding of our great nation.” The post accumulated 31 likes, 28 comments, and nine shares by Sunday.
Reactions were mixed. One commenter called the post “inappropriate” and “distasteful,” while another pointed out that Thomas Jefferson’s original draft of the Declaration contained a passage condemning slavery that the Continental Congress removed, arguing that the nation still needs to strive for a “more perfect” society. A third comment joked that the video had finally given George Washington’s pet pig a role.
Click’s use of generative AI is not a one‑off event. In February, he faced criticism from fellow Republicans after commenting on an AI‑generated video that had circulated during his primary campaign. The video had been used in a dispute over a campaign ad.
Beyond social media, Click has been active in legislation that supports the infrastructure on which generative AI depends. In January 2026 he co‑sponsored House Bill 646 (HB 646) with Rep. Kellie Deeter (R‑Norwalk). The bill would have created a Data Center Study Commission to examine the environmental, energy, water, farmland, and economic impacts of data centers in Ohio. The commission’s scope also included a clause that would have required reports on “foreign propaganda intended to create opposition to data centers.” The clause was identical to language in the Ohio Legislative Service Commission’s official analysis of the bill.
The commission’s mandate would have placed community opposition to data centers on the same footing as environmental or infrastructure concerns while framing it as a potential foreign‑influence problem. The Reason Foundation, a libertarian think‑tank, submitted testimony urging the removal of the clause, warning that the commission’s work could appear biased.
In the district Click represents—Sandusky and Seneca counties—local residents have expressed concern about the state’s spending on a study that they say would merely document opposition. Kara Hetrick, a resident near a proposed data‑center site outside Gibsonburg, told lawmakers that the commission would waste tax dollars on “foreign propaganda” instead of addressing community concerns.
HB 646 passed the Ohio House unanimously, 97‑0, on March 19, 2026. In the Senate, lawmakers removed the study‑commission framework and the foreign‑propaganda clause, rewriting the measure into a broader regulatory package that addresses data‑center electricity rates, water use, tax breaks, and public‑record access to nondisclosure agreements. The revised bill remains in the Senate Energy Committee, with lawmakers indicating further action when the General Assembly reconvenes in Columbus in November.
Click’s political profile is also shaped by his recent electoral activity. He narrowly won the May 5 Republican primary over challenger Eric Watson of Tiffin and will face Democrat Aaron Jones, a U.S. Army veteran and Tiffin City Councilman, in the November general election.
The AI video and the data‑center bill illustrate the intersection of technology policy and local politics in Ohio. While the video draws attention to the capabilities of generative AI, the legislative effort reflects ongoing debate over the environmental and economic impacts of the data‑center boom that supports those technologies.
At this time, the state has not yet adopted a formal study commission, and the Senate’s revised bill remains under consideration. The outcome will influence how Ohio regulates the rapidly expanding data‑center sector and how it balances technological growth with community concerns.
Click, a Republican from Vickery serving his third term in the Ohio House, added a caption that reads: “Have you ever dreamed of visiting the Founding Fathers during the most notable times of American history? I have. Now, thanks to AI, I’ve done it.” He urged followers to “take time to learn about the founding of our great nation.” The post accumulated 31 likes, 28 comments, and nine shares by Sunday.
Reactions were mixed. One commenter called the post “inappropriate” and “distasteful,” while another pointed out that Thomas Jefferson’s original draft of the Declaration contained a passage condemning slavery that the Continental Congress removed, arguing that the nation still needs to strive for a “more perfect” society. A third comment joked that the video had finally given George Washington’s pet pig a role.
Click’s use of generative AI is not a one‑off event. In February, he faced criticism from fellow Republicans after commenting on an AI‑generated video that had circulated during his primary campaign. The video had been used in a dispute over a campaign ad.
Beyond social media, Click has been active in legislation that supports the infrastructure on which generative AI depends. In January 2026 he co‑sponsored House Bill 646 (HB 646) with Rep. Kellie Deeter (R‑Norwalk). The bill would have created a Data Center Study Commission to examine the environmental, energy, water, farmland, and economic impacts of data centers in Ohio. The commission’s scope also included a clause that would have required reports on “foreign propaganda intended to create opposition to data centers.” The clause was identical to language in the Ohio Legislative Service Commission’s official analysis of the bill.
The commission’s mandate would have placed community opposition to data centers on the same footing as environmental or infrastructure concerns while framing it as a potential foreign‑influence problem. The Reason Foundation, a libertarian think‑tank, submitted testimony urging the removal of the clause, warning that the commission’s work could appear biased.
In the district Click represents—Sandusky and Seneca counties—local residents have expressed concern about the state’s spending on a study that they say would merely document opposition. Kara Hetrick, a resident near a proposed data‑center site outside Gibsonburg, told lawmakers that the commission would waste tax dollars on “foreign propaganda” instead of addressing community concerns.
HB 646 passed the Ohio House unanimously, 97‑0, on March 19, 2026. In the Senate, lawmakers removed the study‑commission framework and the foreign‑propaganda clause, rewriting the measure into a broader regulatory package that addresses data‑center electricity rates, water use, tax breaks, and public‑record access to nondisclosure agreements. The revised bill remains in the Senate Energy Committee, with lawmakers indicating further action when the General Assembly reconvenes in Columbus in November.
Click’s political profile is also shaped by his recent electoral activity. He narrowly won the May 5 Republican primary over challenger Eric Watson of Tiffin and will face Democrat Aaron Jones, a U.S. Army veteran and Tiffin City Councilman, in the November general election.
The AI video and the data‑center bill illustrate the intersection of technology policy and local politics in Ohio. While the video draws attention to the capabilities of generative AI, the legislative effort reflects ongoing debate over the environmental and economic impacts of the data‑center boom that supports those technologies.
At this time, the state has not yet adopted a formal study commission, and the Senate’s revised bill remains under consideration. The outcome will influence how Ohio regulates the rapidly expanding data‑center sector and how it balances technological growth with community concerns.
