Indiana GOP roiled as top officials accused of watching lewd AI video of lawmaker's wife

Indiana's Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith (R) came to the defense of top staffers accused of watching a lewd deepfake video of a state lawmaker's wife while in his statehouse office.

24sightNews reported that Beckwith's deputy chief of staff Gregg Puls and statehouse attorney Devin Norrick allegedly watched the video that used artificial intelligence to alter the woman's appearance, causing her to appear topless, "according to multiple people familiar with the incident."

The video was allegedly created following the woman’s performance at a state talent show that was recorded.

"The incident was reported at the time to Beckwith’s chief of staff, Sherry Ellis, and other state officials, including ethics officials, but it is unclear if an official complaint was ever filed with the Indiana Ethics Commission or inspector general, according to the people familiar with the incident," according to the report.

One source told 24sightNews that when "Confronted about the video at the time, Puls and Norrick brushed aside the concerns of how the woman would feel, saying that Beckwith had seen the video and laughed at it as well."

In an interview with 24sighNews, Beckwith called the report, "absolutely nonsense," adding that the employees "are good people" and "he was certain they would never look at pornography in their statehouse office."

He chalked up the incident to a rumor that was spread by a recently-fired staffer.

But, Beckwith added, “If this did happen, or if it happened in the future, that’s a fireable offense, people doing that in any state office,” Beckwith said. “We’re not going to put up with that in my office.”

The woman targeted in the video told the news outlet, “I want these people brought to justice." She and her husband "are consulting their attorneys and considering civil and criminal legal action," the report said.

Read the 24sightNews story here.