James O’Keefe Confirms He’s Out at Project Veritas Amid Accusations of ‘Cruel’ Behavior Toward Employees
James O’Keefe, the controversial founder of Project Veritas, is no longer with the right-wing organization, according to a video he posted on Monday.
“I was stripped of all decision-making last week,” O’Keefe said in the 45-minute clip.
“Currently, I have no job at Project Veritas, I have no position here based upon what the board has done — so I’m announcing to you all that today, on Presidents’ Day, I’m packing up my personal belongings here,” O’Keefe added.
Reports broke earlier in the month that the board of Project Veritas had placed O’Keefe on paid leave as allegations of financial mismanagement and “outright cruel” behavior directed toward staff surfaced.
An internal memo detailing staff complaints regarding O’Keefe made headlines a few weeks ago. “I would describe Project Veritas’ current environment with this saying: ‘The beatings will continue until morale improves,’” a staffer wrote in the memo, which was first reported on by New York Magazine.
“James has become a power-drunk tyrant,” another staffer declared in the memo.
The Daily Beast’s Will Sommer also reported on the allegations, which included O’Keefe “blew their money on his musical theater dreams, and even took a sandwich from a heavily pregnant woman.”
The clip, which O’Keefe reportedly spent considerable Project Veritas funds on, went viral amid the reports.
Project Veritas became a well-known commodity in right-wing politics during the presidency of Donald Trump. “Mr. Trump and his followers embraced Mr. O’Keefe, who relied on controversial tactics like hidden-camera videos that targeted liberal groups and the news media. Amid the praise from conservative figures, Project Veritas — which the I.R.S. recognized as a tax-exempt nonprofit — raised $20 million a year from donors,” reported the New York Times.
Project Veritas has been widely accused of deceptively editing “undercover” video to smear political opponents and has been involved in several investigations and legal actions. In September the group was forced to pay $120,000 by a judge for violating wiretapping laws during an infiltration of a Democrat-affiliated political consulting group. The group has also been under investigation in connection with the stolen diary of President Joe Biden’s daughter Ashley.
Several leading figures on the hardright of American politics vowed solidarity with O’Keefe:
