James O’Keefe, the man responsible for launching the undercover journalism outfit Project Veritas, has announced his departure from the group and hinted at a new media project.
On Monday, O’Keefe released a video to Vimeo in which he claimed to have been “stripped of all decision-making last week” and in which he also revealed his disagreements with higher-ups.
O’Keefe, speaking from the Project Veritas headquarters, said that board meeting minutes confirmed that he had been removed from the board and had lost his position as CEO for at least 180 days.
As of this writing, I am not employed by Project Veritas in any capacity.”
Then he continued, saying something else. In response to the board’s decision, I informed my coworkers, “I have no position here, thus I’m announcing to you all that today, on President’s Day, I’m packing my stuff here.”
And O’Keefe said he would be quitting Project Veritas after giving the board an ultimatum to leave, which they ignored. Whatever it is we’ve been up to, it will continue. I’m sorry, but I still have some work to do. He also mentioned that perhaps the mission’s name might change, which could be a significant indication.
On Monday evening, the board of directors of Project Veritas announced that they had suspended O’Keefe indefinitely pending the results of an independent investigation. According to the statement, O’Keefe is accused of financial wrongdoing and wrongfully sacked the company’s chief financial officer.
The board added, “The Board still wishes to interact with James,” notwithstanding the widespread backlash against him. ” He was not fired, and his employment is not going to be terminated. Instead of fighting, we’d like to keep talking things out with James.
According to the famed founder of the group, who spoke out in 2011, the board had ignored an ultimatum he had handed to them.
The internal struggle at Project Veritas came to light on February 8 when it was revealed by the Intelligencer website of New York Magazine that O’Keefe had taken a paid vacation from his leadership role at the group while the board examined his future with the organization.
According to a statement handed out by Project Veritas’ executive director Daniel Strack to employees, O’Keefe will be taking “a couple of weeks of well-deserved Vacation.”
On February 6, a letter signed by 16 employees claiming that O’Keefe was “outright rude” to staff members was made public. That James “has become a power-drunk tyrant and he is precisely who he pontificates about who we should be exposing” was the main point of the letter.
Project Veritas stated on February 8 at night, seemingly in response to the media attention it had received.
The announcement states that the Project Veritas Board of Directors and Management “are continuously examining” the issue, “What is the best road ahead for the business?” But, the statement did highlight the fact that Project Veritas had 65 workers or more, so it wasn’t just about O’Keefe.
Twitter user “Swig” posted an image of a cease-and-desist letter addressed to Project Veritas’ board of directors by the legal firm representing the organization’s funders, in which the donors express their disapproval of any effort to have O’Keefe removed as the organization’s founder.
Strack issued another statement on February 15 in which he maintained his claim that James had not been terminated from Project Veritas. “James is the most working individual I have ever encountered,” says Strack. People who know him well also know that he doesn’t take vacations very often, unless necessary.
Videos from a Project Veritas sting operation depicting a phony Pfizer research director on a hidden camera supposedly divulging COVID secrets and then having a temper tantrum when challenged brought the situation to the attention of millions.
O’Keefe denied knowing why the board was taking action against him in a video statement published on Monday. Even yet, I am certain that the true reasons and aims will become apparent.