Conservative activist / journalist James O’Keefe charged with felonies in Minnesota voting stunt
(James O’Keefe and Cam Higby charged in Minnesota)
Conservative activist James O’Keefe and fellow political influencer Cam Higby have been charged with felony unlawful voting and identity theft following an undercover stunt at Minnesota polling places that prosecutors say crossed the line into criminal conduct.
The charges, announced yesterday, stem from an August 11 primary election incident in which the men allegedly posed as voters using the names of registered Minnesota residents without their knowledge or permission.
O’Keefe, founder of the controversial media organization Project Veritas and now head of O’Keefe Media Group, and Higby, filmed their interactions with election workers while wearing Islamic-style clothing and using exaggerated accents. Their videos, posted online, sought to expose what they described as weaknesses in Minnesota’s election procedures.
(Conservative activists James O’Keefe and Cam Higby charged with unlawful voting and identity theft)
At the center of the controversy is Minnesota’s decades-old voter vouching system, which allows a registered voter to verify the identity and residence of up to eight other eligible voters on Election Day. The provision is designed to help people who have recently moved or have not updated their registration information.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said investigators concluded that the pair intentionally misrepresented their identities while attempting to obtain ballots. Although neither man signed the required voter oath or cast a fraudulent ballot, prosecutors argue that Minnesota law prohibits intentionally misrepresenting one’s identity when applying for a ballot.
Both men face felony charges of unlawful voting and identity theft, each carrying a potential maximum sentence of five years in prison. They were not jailed following the announcement; prosecutors said they would receive summonses to appear in court.
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon condemned the conduct, saying election officials would not tolerate deception or disruptions at polling places.
Higby rejected the allegations, maintaining that he never voted, signed an affidavit or broke the law. He said the investigation was intended to expose vulnerabilities in Minnesota’s voting system and accused authorities of trying to punish him for doing so. O’Keefe’s response was not immediately available.
The case comes amid an intensifying national debate over election security, voter fraud allegations and the Trump administration’s efforts to obtain state voter registration data. Minnesota officials have defended the vouching system, noting that fewer than 0.6% of voters used it in the 2024 general election.
For O’Keefe, the charges mark another legal controversy in a career built around undercover recordings and confrontational political investigations. He was removed from Project Veritas in 2023 after disputes with its board and subsequently established his own media operation.
The Minnesota case now puts the activists’ election-security stunt under scrutiny from the very legal system they sought to challenge.
~
Sources: New York Times, BBC, NBC News
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
Follow Richard on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram
