James O’Keefe faces felony voter fraud charges after Minnesota election sting

Conservative activist James O’Keefe, former Project Veritas operative and current CEO of the O’Keefe Media Group, and conservative influencer Cameron Higby were charged Wednesday with unlawful voting and identity theft.

According to Hennepin County prosecutors, the men entered Minneapolis polling places during the state’s Aug. 11 primary wearing disguises, using fake accents, and providing election workers with the names of registered voters without the voters’ knowledge or permission.

They filmed the interactions and later posted videos that claimed to reveal vulnerabilities in Minnesota’s voter‑registration procedures, specifically targeting the state’s “vouching” system, which allows registered voters to verify the residency of people seeking to register on Election Day.

The vouching process requires sworn statements and identifying information from prospective voters. Prosecutors note that neither O’Keefe nor Higby cast a ballot or signed the required vouching oath, and they contend that misrepresenting their identities while beginning the voting process was unlawful.

O’Keefe defended the operation as investigative journalism, describing the prosecution as an attack on First Amendment rights. Higby also denied breaking the law, saying the pair intended to expose election vulnerabilities.

The charges add to a history of controversy surrounding O’Keefe’s undercover tactics, including a 2017 incident in which Washington Post reporters caught him attempting to sell a false story, and earlier hidden‑camera investigations targeting Planned Parenthood and ACORN.

Minnesota officials said the operation demonstrated conduct different from O’Keefe’s stated intent. Election workers reported suspicious behavior, prompting an investigation. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said the state’s system for identifying and responding to potential misconduct functioned as intended.

State election officials noted that the vouching process accounted for fewer than 0.6% of votes cast in Minnesota’s 2024 general election.

O’Keefe and Higby are scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 16. Neither has been convicted at this time.

The case highlights the legal risks of covert election investigations.