[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":343},["ShallowReactive",2],{"header":3,"footer":26,"footer-cities":54,"content-\u002Fnews\u002Fnyc-council-candidate-charged-over-ai-fakes-what-fresno-campaigns-must-know":235},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":10,"extension":13,"links":14,"meta":20,"navigation":21,"path":22,"seo":23,"stem":24,"__hash__":25},"header\u002Fheader.md","Central Valley AI",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":9},"minimark",[],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":12},"",2,[],"md",[15],{"label":16,"to":17,"icon":19},"News",{"path":18},"\u002Fnews\u002F","mdi-newspaper-variant-outline",{},true,"\u002Fheader",{"title":5,"description":10},"header","ceT4J-WxxOBdbhRC-UD3fo0Npu7vWt2o2B9b_LURPmE",{"id":27,"title":28,"body":29,"copyright":33,"description":10,"developedBy":34,"extension":13,"links":41,"meta":49,"navigation":21,"path":50,"seo":51,"stem":52,"__hash__":53},"footer\u002Ffooter.md","Footer",{"type":7,"value":30,"toc":31},[],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":32},[],"© {year} All rights reserved.",{"label":35,"link":36},"Developed by",{"label":37,"to":38,"target":39,"logo":40},"Kaweah Tech","https:\u002F\u002Fkaweah.tech","_blank","https:\u002F\u002Fassets.kaweah.tech\u002Flogo-black-on-transparent-tight.svg",[42,43,46],{"label":16,"to":18},{"label":44,"to":45},"About","\u002Fabout\u002F",{"label":47,"to":48},"Privacy Policy","\u002Fprivacy-policy\u002F",{},"\u002Ffooter",{"description":10},"footer","Ras2AGS8Wuda4aBPrbAbOivaxIsAoDbo9SNCA0w554g",[55,85,123,154,181,208],{"id":56,"title":57,"body":58,"county":77,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":78,"meta":79,"navigation":21,"path":80,"seo":81,"stem":82,"tag":83,"__hash__":84},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fbakersfield.md","Bakersfield",{"type":7,"value":59,"toc":74},[60,65],[61,62,64],"h2",{"id":63},"ai-in-bakersfield","AI in Bakersfield",[66,67,68,69,73],"p",{},"Bakersfield's AI conversation sits at the intersection of municipal government, the ",[70,71,72],"strong",{},"California State University Bakersfield"," community, and the energy and ag operators that drive Kern County's economy. The city was an early mover on AI-assisted permitting and has been a recurring backdrop for parent- and teacher-led debates about classroom AI use. Articles below follow specific Bakersfield initiatives, public-meeting decisions, and Kern County workforce stories — and how they reflect national AI trends from a regional vantage point.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":75},[76],{"id":63,"depth":11,"text":64},"Kern County","Bakersfield and the surrounding Kern County are home to some of the most concrete AI-in-government experiments in the Central Valley, from instant municipal permitting to school-district debates about classroom AI. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is reshaping public services, education, and the energy and agriculture economies that dominate the region.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fbakersfield",{"title":57,"description":10},"cities\u002Fbakersfield","bakersfield","ozFL4HvDA_g7UrRE1mHbKqcS-vDLwbiH9JWVh3rB2Ac",{"id":86,"title":87,"body":88,"county":115,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":116,"meta":117,"navigation":21,"path":118,"seo":119,"stem":120,"tag":121,"__hash__":122},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Ffresno.md","Fresno",{"type":7,"value":89,"toc":112},[90,94,109],[61,91,93],{"id":92},"ai-in-fresno","AI in Fresno",[66,95,96,97,100,101,104,105,108],{},"Fresno's AI story spans several distinct ecosystems. ",[70,98,99],{},"Fresno State"," and the ",[70,102,103],{},"California State University"," system anchor a workforce-readiness push, while local ",[70,106,107],{},"Fresno Unified School District"," debates around responsible use have made the city a recurring reference point in California's K-12 AI conversation. The city's economic base in agriculture, healthcare, and public services means most AI adoption stories here are about applied uses rather than model development — a different posture than coastal tech hubs but arguably more consequential for the people living here.",[66,110,111],{},"Use the articles below to follow how AI is showing up in Fresno-area institutions and businesses.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":113},[114],{"id":92,"depth":11,"text":93},"Fresno County","Fresno is the largest city in California's Central Valley and the regional center for AI adoption across agriculture, healthcare, higher education, and small business. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is being applied — and contested — in and around the city of Fresno and Fresno County.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Ffresno",{"title":87,"description":10},"cities\u002Ffresno","fresno","gOL2xk8y9t9OV6PPxP02OjYhZFHC_Cg-VGijh_V93dI",{"id":124,"title":125,"body":126,"county":146,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":147,"meta":148,"navigation":21,"path":149,"seo":150,"stem":151,"tag":152,"__hash__":153},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fmerced.md","Merced",{"type":7,"value":127,"toc":143},[128,132],[61,129,131],{"id":130},"ai-in-merced","AI in Merced",[66,133,134,135,138,139,142],{},"Merced is a research-heavy node in the Central Valley AI ecosystem. ",[70,136,137],{},"UC Merced"," faculty appear in national conversations about AI safety, autonomous vehicles, climate modeling, and pediatric health applications, while the ",[70,140,141],{},"Merced Unified School District"," and surrounding county institutions navigate the same K-12 and workforce questions the rest of the Valley faces. The articles below cover both the campus research story and the broader applied uses around the city and county.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":144},[145],{"id":130,"depth":11,"text":131},"Merced County","Merced punches above its weight in AI research, anchored by UC Merced — a leading West Coast hub for AI in agriculture, climate, autonomous systems, and health. Coverage on this page tracks both academic research coming out of the campus and how AI is showing up across Merced's schools, businesses, and county institutions.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fmerced",{"title":125,"description":10},"cities\u002Fmerced","merced","pSWWlEzMdcv2_RZrUKdkEHU3bixNboePGdHbSdd1m34",{"id":155,"title":156,"body":157,"county":173,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":174,"meta":175,"navigation":21,"path":176,"seo":177,"stem":178,"tag":179,"__hash__":180},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fmodesto.md","Modesto",{"type":7,"value":158,"toc":170},[159,163],[61,160,162],{"id":161},"ai-in-modesto","AI in Modesto",[66,164,165,166,169],{},"Modesto's AI conversation tends to combine ag-tech adoption stories with workforce-readiness questions for the city's small and mid-sized employers. ",[70,167,168],{},"CSU Stanislaus"," and the regional community college network shape the higher-ed angle. Coverage below follows Modesto-area AI announcements and the wider Stanislaus County context.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":171},[172],{"id":161,"depth":11,"text":162},"Stanislaus County","Modesto and Stanislaus County sit between the Bay Area and the southern Valley, and their AI story reflects that bridging role — from agriculture and food processing to the **California State University Stanislaus** community to small businesses adapting to AI-driven changes in marketing, hiring, and operations.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fmodesto",{"title":156,"description":10},"cities\u002Fmodesto","modesto","l75Dc40MX8wTb4lD088Yx9we4ypuDwmcvE-uEdqqREc",{"id":182,"title":183,"body":184,"county":200,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":201,"meta":202,"navigation":21,"path":203,"seo":204,"stem":205,"tag":206,"__hash__":207},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fstockton.md","Stockton",{"type":7,"value":185,"toc":197},[186,190],[61,187,189],{"id":188},"ai-in-stockton","AI in Stockton",[66,191,192,193,196],{},"Stockton's economic base in logistics, healthcare, and higher education gives the city a different AI profile than the southern Valley. ",[70,194,195],{},"University of the Pacific"," anchors the academic conversation, while San Joaquin County government, hospitals, and warehouse operators are navigating practical adoption questions: cost, training, security, workforce impact. The articles below track Stockton-area AI announcements and the broader San Joaquin County context.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":198},[199],{"id":188,"depth":11,"text":189},"San Joaquin County","Stockton and San Joaquin County sit at the northern edge of the Central Valley, where logistics, healthcare, and the University of the Pacific shape the local AI adoption story. Coverage on this page follows how AI is being put to work — and questioned — across San Joaquin County's institutions, employers, and public services.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fstockton",{"title":183,"description":10},"cities\u002Fstockton","stockton","TYEBK9akp2HbpAFmYY67FeKt7Rs7L8tvtYeQBtgJAHw",{"id":209,"title":210,"body":211,"county":227,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":228,"meta":229,"navigation":21,"path":230,"seo":231,"stem":232,"tag":233,"__hash__":234},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fvisalia.md","Visalia",{"type":7,"value":212,"toc":224},[213,217],[61,214,216],{"id":215},"ai-in-visalia","AI in Visalia",[66,218,219,220,223],{},"Visalia's AI footprint is grounded in the practical adoption stories that come with a Tulare County economy built around agriculture, food processing, and rural healthcare. ",[70,221,222],{},"College of the Sequoias"," and the surrounding K-12 districts anchor the education conversation. The articles below cover Visalia-area AI developments and the Tulare County context, with a focus on applied uses rather than research or model development.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":225},[226],{"id":215,"depth":11,"text":216},"Tulare County","Visalia is the largest city in Tulare County and a center for agriculture, healthcare, and county-government services in the southern Central Valley. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is being adopted across Tulare County's schools, hospitals, ag operations, and small business community.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fvisalia",{"title":210,"description":10},"cities\u002Fvisalia","visalia","gN4g7aAl-cqD4FfSTgtTAarltUoKLh8NFlPzCbZngqU",{"id":236,"title":237,"archived":238,"author":239,"body":240,"date":331,"dateModified":331,"description":332,"extension":13,"meta":333,"navigation":21,"path":334,"rawbody":335,"seo":336,"sitemap":337,"stem":338,"tags":339,"__hash__":342},"news\u002Fnews\u002Fnyc-council-candidate-charged-over-ai-fakes-what-fresno-campaigns-must-know.md","NYC council candidate charged over AI fakes; what Fresno campaigns must know",false,"CVAI Newsdesk",{"type":7,"value":241,"toc":324},[242,246,250,266,269,273,276,280,283,286,290,293,296,311,314,318],[243,244,237],"h1",{"id":245},"nyc-council-candidate-charged-over-ai-fakes-what-fresno-campaigns-must-know",[61,247,249],{"id":248},"key-takeaways","Key Takeaways",[251,252,253,257,260,263],"ol",{},[254,255,256],"li",{},"New York prosecutors charged ex-council candidate Jonathan Rinaldi with forgery over AI-made endorsements and posts.",[254,258,259],{},"California law requires certain political ads to disclose when AI created or altered the content.",[254,261,262],{},"A separate California deepfake law allowing private lawsuits is on hold after a 2024 federal injunction.",[254,264,265],{},"Suspected ad violations can be reported to the state FPPC’s AdWATCH program.",[66,267,268],{},"The arrest came first, then the quote. In Queens, former New York City Council candidate Jonathan Rinaldi, 47, was taken into custody and charged with forgery over allegations he used AI to create fake endorsements and doctored news posts during his run. In Fresno County, the elections office that will oversee November’s local races is pointing campaigns to California’s disclosure rules for AI-made ads. That is the part that reaches us here.",[61,270,272],{"id":271},"what-prosecutors-say-happened","What prosecutors say happened",[66,274,275],{},"Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz alleges Rinaldi posted phony endorsements on Facebook and Instagram, including one that borrowed the logo and a mock endorsement sheet from the Queens Jewish Alliance. Another post mimicked a New York Post article claiming Council Member Robert Holden backed him. Charging papers even quote an AI prompt tied to a doctored handshake photo: “face swap the man on the left.” Rinaldi told AP, “I got arrested for social media posts,” calling it a free speech issue. The charges, third‑degree forgery and possession of a forged instrument, carry up to two years. Different problem, same tool.",[61,277,279],{"id":278},"what-california-requires-on-ai-ads","What California requires on AI ads",[66,281,282],{},"California’s Political Reform Act now requires a clear disclosure on qualified political advertisements that are “generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence.” The language is specific, and it has to be displayed the same way other “paid for by” disclosures appear. The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) enforces ad rules and takes complaints through its AdWATCH portal, which accepts screenshots and links from voters. None of that changes what prosecutors can do with forgery or fraud laws, but the disclosure mandate is statewide.",[66,284,285],{},"One more note for campaigns: a 2024 law that would have let people sue over certain election deepfakes was paused by a federal judge on First Amendment grounds. That injunction doesn’t touch the disclosure requirement above, which still applies this cycle.",[61,287,289],{"id":288},"what-this-means-in-the-valley","What this means in the Valley",[66,291,292],{},"Fresno County has a full slate on Nov. 3, from city council to school boards and county races. The local elections office, led by County Clerk\u002FRegistrar of Voters James A. Kus, administers the nuts and bolts, while the FPPC polices ad disclosures. If a committee posts an AI-altered endorsement graphic, the disclosure rules kick in, and fabricating the seal or support of a public agency could invite other trouble. The New York case shows prosecutors do not need a special “AI crime” to file a forgery count when a fake is passed off as real.",[66,294,295],{},"At the county elections counter on Kern Street, a stack of “I Voted” stickers sat by the lobby window.",[66,297,298],{},[299,300,301,302,304,305,310],"em",{},"Central Valley AI is produced by the ",[70,303,239],{}," team and developed by ",[306,307,37],"a",{"href":38,"rel":308},[309],"nofollow",", a regional firm that builds, deploys, and integrates AI solutions for businesses across California's Central Valley.",[312,313],"hr",{},[61,315,317],{"id":316},"source","Source",[66,319,320],{},[306,321,322],{"href":322,"rel":323},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.yourcentralvalley.com\u002Fnews\u002Fu-s-world\u002Fap-new-york-city-council-candidate-is-accused-of-forgery-over-ai-generated-posts\u002F",[309],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":325},[326,327,328,329,330],{"id":248,"depth":11,"text":249},{"id":271,"depth":11,"text":272},{"id":278,"depth":11,"text":279},{"id":288,"depth":11,"text":289},{"id":316,"depth":11,"text":317},"2026-07-01","Prosecutors in New York charged a former council candidate with forgery tied to AI-generated endorsements. California campaigns face their own AI disclosure rules this fall.",{},"\u002Fnews\u002Fnyc-council-candidate-charged-over-ai-fakes-what-fresno-campaigns-must-know","---\nauthor: CVAI Newsdesk\ndate: 2026-07-01\ndateModified: '2026-07-01'\ndescription: Prosecutors in New York charged a former council candidate with forgery\n  tied to AI-generated endorsements. California campaigns face their own AI disclosure\n  rules this fall.\ntags:\n- elections\n- policy\n- fresno\ntitle: NYC council candidate charged over AI fakes; what Fresno campaigns must know\n---\n\n# NYC council candidate charged over AI fakes; what Fresno campaigns must know\n\n## Key Takeaways\n\n1. New York prosecutors charged ex-council candidate Jonathan Rinaldi with forgery over AI-made endorsements and posts.\n2. California law requires certain political ads to disclose when AI created or altered the content.\n3. A separate California deepfake law allowing private lawsuits is on hold after a 2024 federal injunction.\n4. Suspected ad violations can be reported to the state FPPC’s AdWATCH program.\n\nThe arrest came first, then the quote. In Queens, former New York City Council candidate Jonathan Rinaldi, 47, was taken into custody and charged with forgery over allegations he used AI to create fake endorsements and doctored news posts during his run. In Fresno County, the elections office that will oversee November’s local races is pointing campaigns to California’s disclosure rules for AI-made ads. That is the part that reaches us here.\n\n## What prosecutors say happened\n\nQueens District Attorney Melinda Katz alleges Rinaldi posted phony endorsements on Facebook and Instagram, including one that borrowed the logo and a mock endorsement sheet from the Queens Jewish Alliance. Another post mimicked a New York Post article claiming Council Member Robert Holden backed him. Charging papers even quote an AI prompt tied to a doctored handshake photo: “face swap the man on the left.” Rinaldi told AP, “I got arrested for social media posts,” calling it a free speech issue. The charges, third‑degree forgery and possession of a forged instrument, carry up to two years. Different problem, same tool.\n\n## What California requires on AI ads\n\nCalifornia’s Political Reform Act now requires a clear disclosure on qualified political advertisements that are “generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence.” The language is specific, and it has to be displayed the same way other “paid for by” disclosures appear. The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) enforces ad rules and takes complaints through its AdWATCH portal, which accepts screenshots and links from voters. None of that changes what prosecutors can do with forgery or fraud laws, but the disclosure mandate is statewide.\n\nOne more note for campaigns: a 2024 law that would have let people sue over certain election deepfakes was paused by a federal judge on First Amendment grounds. That injunction doesn’t touch the disclosure requirement above, which still applies this cycle.\n\n## What this means in the Valley\n\nFresno County has a full slate on Nov. 3, from city council to school boards and county races. The local elections office, led by County Clerk\u002FRegistrar of Voters James A. Kus, administers the nuts and bolts, while the FPPC polices ad disclosures. If a committee posts an AI-altered endorsement graphic, the disclosure rules kick in, and fabricating the seal or support of a public agency could invite other trouble. The New York case shows prosecutors do not need a special “AI crime” to file a forgery count when a fake is passed off as real.\n\nAt the county elections counter on Kern Street, a stack of “I Voted” stickers sat by the lobby window.\n\n*Central Valley AI is produced by the **CVAI Newsdesk** team and developed by [Kaweah Tech](https:\u002F\u002Fkaweah.tech), a regional firm that builds, deploys, and integrates AI solutions for businesses across California's Central Valley.*\n\n---\n\n## Source\n\nhttps:\u002F\u002Fwww.yourcentralvalley.com\u002Fnews\u002Fu-s-world\u002Fap-new-york-city-council-candidate-is-accused-of-forgery-over-ai-generated-posts\u002F\n",{"title":237,"description":332},{"loc":334},"news\u002Fnyc-council-candidate-charged-over-ai-fakes-what-fresno-campaigns-must-know",[340,341,121],"elections","policy","hg97e0K78meThvnu_2ovaukZwLQoEbuQG5s5IbW__NQ",1783395174020]