A Fake Quote, a Real Congressional Race: Inside the NY-21 Deepfake Attack Ad

Constantino says he built the video in retaliation for an AI-generated ad Gendebien's campaign released in July 2025 mocking U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik over her presumed reluctance to run for governor ^[3][5]. Stefanik, who is vacating the NY-21 seat both men are now competing for, called that earlier ad "a disgrace," "offensive" and "ridiculous" while she deflected questions about a 2026 gubernatorial bid ^[5]. Constantino argued the Gendebien ad had "enlarge[d] her physical attributes in disturbingly sexist ways" and said he made his own fabricated video specifically to "expose" Gendebien ^[4][1]. What began as dueling satire escalated into a video engineered to look like a real, damaging confession ^[3][4].

Unlike some other AI-generated political ads circulating in New York this cycle, Constantino's video carried an on-screen disclaimer noting it had been "manipulated" and explaining it was made in response to Gendebien's earlier ad ^[2][6]. New York's state Senate passed a law in 2025 requiring political ads made with AI assistance to disclose that fact, and political science professor Harvey Schantz said the label technically satisfies that requirement, making the ad legally permissible ^[3]. But attorney Kevin Luibrand cautioned that a disclaimer doesn't automatically shield a campaign from defamation liability, since satire carve-outs have limits, and warned that deepfakes will soon be indistinguishable from reality ^[3]. A label reading "this is AI" doesn't stop fabricated quotes from being screenshotted, clipped, and re-shared without that context attached ^[1][3].

The Constantino video is one of several AI-manipulated ads roiling New York politics this summer. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman released two deepfake ads of his own — one of Gov. Kathy Hochul on July 27 and one of NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani on August 10 — that the New York State Democratic Committee says were never disclosed as AI-generated, prompting a Board of Elections complaint that noted Blakeman's campaign had received $48,310 in public matching funds from the state ^[6]. Enforcement of the 2025 disclosure law has been inconsistent: Constantino complied, Blakeman allegedly did not ^[6]. Gendebien called the fabricated video of himself "vile," saying: "This is what AI looks like in the hands of bad actors" ^[1]. The verdict is FALSE: Blake Gendebien never said he supports human trafficking, pedophilia, or any of the statements the AI video puts in his mouth. The clip is a fabrication — labeled as one, but built to be clipped and shared as if it reflects something he actually believes ^[1][2][3].