The Claim: Video shows Alvin Bragg dropping the charges against Donald Trump and resigning
A Instagram video from March 25th shows what appears to be Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaking.
“It is with an extremely heavy heart that I announce that after a full and thorough investigation, the New York City Attorney’s Office has decided to drop all charges against Donald Trump,” Bragg appears to be saying. “I hereby resign from my position as District Attorney of New York.”
The post received more than 3,000 likes in four days. Similar versions of the post were shared tick tock.
Users in the comments seem to have believed Bragg’s video to be authentic.
“They are so afraid of our great President Donald J. Trump,” read one comment.
“Great – now check out Biden & Hillary,” read another.
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Our Rating: Changed
The audio of the video is changed. Bragg’s office is still investigating former President Donald Trump.
Prosecutor’s video being edited
Bragg’s office is currently under investigation a hush money payment by Trump to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
However, the video of Bragg announcing that he is dropping those charges and resigning is not legitimate.
It is an example of a deepfakewhich is a type of video manipulation that uses artificial intelligence techniques to make it appear as if someone did or said things they didn’t do.
Bragg’s original footage was filmed in January 2022 as he spoke to him from the New York University School of Law. He is sitting in front of the same two flags and wearing the same suit and tie as in the deepfake video. He does not mention Trump in his remarks.
Fact check: Stormy Daniels’ statement denying an affair with Trump dates back to 2018
The deepfake was previously shared on Twitter by conservative commentator Jack Posobiec.
“BREAKING: DA Alvin Bragg’s canned speech dropping all charges against Donald J. Trump next week has been released,” the tweet’s caption read.
The video contains several indications that it was created as satire.
Before announcing his alleged retirement, the manipulated video shows Bragg saying Posobiec called him “the fat Alvin… implying I’m a member of the chipmunks”. The video ends with Bragg saying he’s going to “treat to a very tasty chocolate custard and eat my feelings.”
There is no evidence that prosecutors are dropping their charges against Trump.
The grand jury reconvened on March 27 to hear testimony from a key witness in the case against Trump CBS News. In the meantime, Bragg keep tweeting on behalf of the office.
USA TODAY has asked the users who shared the post to comment.
PolitiFact And The Associated Press have also refuted this claim.
Our fact check sources:
USA TODAY, May 6, 2019 What is a deepfake? This video technology scares some politicians
Manhattan Attorney’s Office, January 21, 2022, DA Bragg delivers remarks at NYU School of Law
Jack Posobiec, March 23 tweet
CBS News, March 27 The Manhattan grand jury investigating Trump hears from a key witness
Alvin Bragg, March 27 tweet
PolitiFact, March 27 Alvin Bragg didn’t say he would drop the charges against Donald Trump; This video is a deepfake
Associated Press, March 25 Altered clip of Manhattan DA Bragg spreading falsehoods in Trump case
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact Check: Edited video of Alvin Bragg dropping charges against Trump
Source : news.yahoo.com