Florida Congressman Randy Fine Questions Authenticity of Mailbox Footage Amid Campaign

Ring-doorbell video. Randy Fine, approaching a Florida home on Aug. 16, ringing the doorbell and then opening the exterior mailbox to look at the envelopes inside. The recording does not depict any handling of mail, so it does not appear to constitute a crime. Fine’s office initially said the person resembled him, but the congressman later said he was unsure the clip was real and raised the possibility of AI manipulation.

He told reporters he did not recall the action and could not explain why he would have done it, noting he had knocked on many doors during the campaign. The episode emerged while Fine was seeking re-election ahead of the Aug. 18 Republican primary for Florida’s 6th District, a seat he previously won with 58 percent of the vote. The congressman has faced criticism before, including backlash over a February Islam-ophobic social-media post that prompted commentator Megyn Kelly to denounce him as a bigot.