James O'Keefe Leaves His Post as the Leader of Project Veritas - The New York Times
Category: News & Politics
Via: jbb • 4 months ago • 3 commentsBy: Michael S. Schmidt, David A. Fahrenthold and Adam Goldman (nytimes)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Mr. O'Keefe had been the face of the group of conservative provocateurs since he founded Project Veritas in his father's garage in suburban New York in 2010.
James O'Keefe rose to prominence during Donald J. Trump's presidency.Credit...Cooper Neill for The New York Times
By Michael S. Schmidt, David A. Fahrenthold and Adam Goldman
Feb. 20, 2023
James O'Keefe, who as the leader of the conservative group Project Veritas used theatrical stunts, undercover stings and other deceptive tactics in efforts to inflict embarrassment and charges of hypocrisy and wrongdoing on perceived liberal enemies in politics and the media, has left his post, Mr. O'Keefe disclosed on Monday.
His departure came amid an uproar among the group's staff about his leadership style, his treatment of subordinates and his use of the group's funds for high-priced expenses like flights on a private plane.
It also came in the midst of an ongoing Justice Department investigation into how Project Veritas acquired a diary kept by Ashley Biden, President Biden's daughter, before the 2020 election. Mr. O'Keefe's home was searched by F.B.I. agents with a warrant in the fall of 2021 as part of the investigation.
Project Veritas's board put Mr. O'Keefe on paid leave earlier this month.
"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," Mr. O'Keefe said in a video address to the group from its headquarters in Mamaroneck, N.Y.
The group's board later issued a statement saying that a preliminary review "indicates that James has spent an excessive amount of donor funds in the last three years on personal luxuries" and that more was being uncovered as the review continued.
The board cited as one example $14,000 that it said Mr. O'Keefe spent "on a charter flight to meet someone to fix his boat under the guise of meeting with a donor."
Tags
Who is online
412 visitors
Yes Virginia, that James O'Keefe!
Got anything more recent and relevant?
Feb. 20, 2023