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# Montana Deepfake Law Blocked for One PAC Before Election
- URL: https://www.theamericanquorum.com/state-news-montana-2026-09-19-a/
- Published: 2026-09-19T15:26:49.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-19T15:26:49.000Z
- Description: A federal judge has barred Montana from enforcing its election-deepfake law against one political committee, while leaving the statute—and its disclosure and penalty rules—in place for other speakers before November 3.
- Author: News Desk
- Tags: State News, Montana, Texas

A federal judge has temporarily barred Montana officials from enforcing the state’s election-deepfake law against one conservative political committee and its treasurer, narrowing how the new statute can operate during the final weeks before the Nov. 3 election.

U.S. District Judge Susan Watters issued the preliminary injunction Wednesday for Accountability in State Government and former Republican lawmaker Dan Bartel. [Reuters reported](https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-judge-blocks-montana-enforcing-deepfake-election-ads-law-against-conservative-2026-09-17/?ref=theamericanquorum.com) that Watters found the plaintiffs likely to succeed on their claim that the law discriminates by viewpoint: it restricts deceptive AI media used to damage a candidate or party while not similarly restricting material used to promote one.

The order is limited. Watters declined to halt the law statewide, so other committees, candidates and sponsors remain subject to it unless they obtain separate relief or qualify for an exception. The case, *Accountability in State Government v. Knudsen*, remains pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana; [the case record and timeline](https://aichallengewatch.com/cases/accountability-v-knudsen/?ref=theamericanquorum.com) identify Attorney General Austin Knudsen, Lewis and Clark County Attorney Kevin Downs and Commissioner of Political Practices Chris Gallus as defendants.

Montana’s 2025 law generally prohibits a person or entity acting in an official election capacity from sponsoring or distributing a known deepfake of a ballot candidate or political party within 60 days of voting. The [statute provides a disclosure safe harbor](https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title%5F0130/chapter%5F0350/part%5F0080/section%5F0020/0130-0350-0080-0020.html?ref=theamericanquorum.com) for material prominently labeled as significantly edited by artificial intelligence. It also exempts satire or parody, certain news coverage and qualifying distribution platforms.

The enforcement stakes are not merely administrative. Under the law’s [penalty section](https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title%5F0130/chapter%5F0350/part%5F0080/section%5F0040/0130-0350-0080-0040.html?ref=theamericanquorum.com), a first sufficiency finding may bring civil penalties; a second must be referred for misdemeanor prosecution, and a third for felony prosecution. The maximum listed penalty for a third finding is a $5,000 fine, two years in state prison, or both.

The lawsuit followed complaints over political mailers that used altered images of legislative candidates. Before the injunction hearing, Gallus concluded the specific mailers were satire and said the complaints would be dismissed. A [statement from the plaintiffs’ counsel links to the commissioner’s declaration](https://hlli.org/montana-election-regulator-admits-hlli-clients-ai-political-mailers-are-satire/?ref=theamericanquorum.com) and says the plaintiffs continued their challenge because they planned additional election communications and faced possible future complaints.

The attorney general’s office told Reuters it was disappointed and reviewing its next steps. That leaves two practical rules for Montana political advertisers. The named plaintiffs are protected from enforcement while the injunction stands, but the ruling does not erase the law for everyone else. Other sponsors using materially altered candidate images should continue evaluating the statute’s required disclosure, format rules and exceptions before distributing content during the election period.

For voters, the decision does not validate any disputed image or determine whether a particular communication is true. It addresses who may be investigated or prosecuted under this statute while the constitutional case proceeds. Satire remains an express exception, and labeled AI-edited material remains a statutory route available to other speakers.