Staffers at Project Veritas have released a new statement as whistleblowers say they support ousted founder James O’Keefe.
In a Feb. 24 video statement, Project Veritas staffers said they “are at a crossroads” due to the dispute between O’Keefe and the organization’s board of directors.
O’Keefe departed Project Veritas this week after being suspended and stripped of his authority. The board has said it uncovered signs of “financial malfeasance” but that it did not terminate O’Keefe. Staffers said Thursday that supporters should “give us a chance” as they work to continue O’Keefe’s mission.
“We want James back,” staffers said in the new video. “But we have a duty to our generous supporters, to all of you, and to our journalistic integrity to break record stories, which impact our culture, and most importantly, the future of our country.”
Staffers said they’re committed to continuing working to expose waste, fraud, and abuse, and that “no board or donor ever tells us what to report.
“We will never replace James O’Keefe. But for now, we see it as our job to hold the torch for him while keeping the door wide open for his return. We will keep the spirit of James’s mission alive for as long as we are able. We have investigations underway and stories to release. Our reporters are in the field,” they said. “As James has always told us, content is king. Our visionary may not be with us right now, but the Project Veritas mission is vital. We will produce stories and break news until a day may come when we can’t.”
The group acknowledged that many supporters are disenchanted with O’Keefe’s ouster.
“We don’t want to see a Project Veritas without James O’Keefe,” they said. “Due to decisions made outside of our control, it’s possible we may never earn back the trust of this audience. But we owe it to all of you to try.”
Project Veritas Staff Video Transcript
We, the staff at Project Veritas, are at a crossroads. High-level disputes between our leader and founder James O’Keefe, and the volunteer Board of Directors who are responsible for oversight of the non-profit, have resulted in James no longer being here. James is not only the founder of Project Veritas but the creative visionary of our mission. This devastated us and the audience we exist for. James hasn’t resigned, nor was he fired. These events confuse and they hurt us – leading all of us in a state of limbo.
So, we have a choice to make. We want James back, but we have a duty to our generous supporters, to all of you, and to our journalistic integrity . . .
to break record stories which impact our culture – and most importantly the future of our country.
The board may have their obligations, but we are Project Veritas. James assembled this team of over 60 individuals who have bonded together in a common mission to expose waste, fraud and abuse.
We expose everybody. This band of journalists, editors, producers, and all staff are still here to ensure the work gets done.
James taught us to move mountains. We know the evil exists, we fight it everyday. We don’t blame anyone for assuming the worst, or thinking we’ve been co-opted by some outside force. But this fact still stands. No board or donor ever tells us what to report, and they never will we will.
We will never replace James O’Keefe. But for now, we see it as our job to hold the torch for him, while keeping the door wide open for his return. We will keep the spirit of James’s mission alive for as long as we are able. we have investigations underway, and stories to release.
As James has always told us, “content is king”. Our visionary may not be with us right now, but the Project Veritas mission is vital.
We will produce stories and break news, until a day may come when we can’t.
Until then we will keep this mission going for our country, for the truth, and for James. We know the world is watching, and that some are hoping that we fail.
We need you to know that as the Project Veritas team, we don’t want to see a Project Veritas without James O’Keefe. Due to decisions made outside of our control, it’s possible we may never earn back the trust of this audience. But we owe it to all of you to try.
