James O’Keefe, former CEO of Project Veritas, departed on Monday from the undercover journalism organization he founded.
One America News Network’s (OANN) Neil McCabe, a Project Veritas alumnus, reported that O’Keefe resigned from the undercover journalism outlet:
Exclusive: @JamesOKeefeIII, my friend and former boss at @Project_Veritas, just read his resignation letter to his former team and board members at their Mamaroneck, N.Y. headquarters. James will make his own way—as he always has before. @OANN pic.twitter.com/knOqtFTw7e
— ReporterMcCabe (@NeilWMcCabe2) February 20, 2023
R.C. Maxwell, a spokesperson for Project Veritas, later wrote in a tweet challenging the accuracy of McCabe’s report that O’Keefe had been “removed from his position as CEO by the Project Veritas board”:
This is not accurate.
James was removed from his position as CEO by the Project Veritas board.
They are in charge now https://t.co/cJ1oNUkBPd
— R.C. Maxwell ?? (@BlackHannity) February 20, 2023
James, who is late to everything because of his packed schedule, showed up to my wedding EARLY.
I’m always gonna ride with my dawg #IStandWithJamesOkeefe pic.twitter.com/TYxtHZgQGg
— R.C. Maxwell ?? (@BlackHannity) February 20, 2023
O’Keefe was placed on a paid leave of absence earlier in February during an investigation by the organization’s board into his management decisions.
The board’s review of O’Keefe’s continuance as head of Project Veritas followed the composition of a memo composed of some 16 Project Veritas employees accusing O’Keefe of abusive behavior towards them:
O’Keefe was placed on leave as a memo had leaked that employees were complaining and raising concerns about his behavior.
The memo claimed that his staff were “troubled and frustrated” by his management style, and that he would be “outright cruel” to his employees.
They went on to claim that O’Keefe engages in berating behavior and “public crucifixions” of staff members.
Several of Project Veritas’s benefactors sent a cease and desist demand letter to the organization’s board following its placement of O’Keefe on paid leave. They characterized the removal of O’Keefe as violative of Project Veritas’s fiduciary obligations towards use of raised funds for the organization’s stated purposes, highlighting the orgnization’s emphasis on O’Keefe in its fundraising solicitations:
???EXCLUSIVE???: I have obtained a Cease and Desist Demand Letter sent to the @Project_Veritas Board of Directors by a law firm representing a large group of significant PV donors.
RT!!! pic.twitter.com/PHo9vGvYt7
— Swig ?? (@OldRowSwig) February 10, 2023
The Post Millennial’s report on O’Keefe’s departure from Project Veritas noted that some conservative commentators framed O’Keefe as an indispensable person to the organization:
After the 16 staffers sent the letter to the Project Veritas board of directors in early February, “James O’Keefe IS Project Veritas” began to trend on Twitter. Many supporters and donors all balked at the idea that Veritas could continue without O’Keefe at the helm and prominent conservatives gave their support for O’Keefe.
Last week, Project Veritas executive director Daniel Strack issued a public statement with the board of directors regarding recent internal matters at the organization regarding O’Keefe’s status:
— Project Veritas (@Project_Veritas) February 15, 2023
Project Veritas also shared a photo of O’Keefe with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. via its Twitter account hours after the release of Strack’s statement with Project Veritas’s board of directors:
Of course @JamesOKeefeIII is alive and well. Why wouldn’t he be?
We’re sure many of you can agree, there is nothing better than enjoying a well deserved vacation. https://t.co/SAlwyQnlcR
— Project Veritas (@Project_Veritas) February 15, 2023
Project Veritas’s website has not published information regarding O’Keefe’s reported departure from the organization at the time of this article’s publication.
Follow Robert Kraychik on Twitter @rkraychik.
