The key facts
- Two conservative activists have been charged with unlawful voting and identity theft — both offenses are felonies
- They used a Minnesota law allowing voters to vouch for the address of up to eight people
- Higby says he did not vote and broke no law; the secretary of state said deceiving election workers is unacceptable
Charges after covert filming at a polling place
Two American conservative activists, James Edward O'Keefe and Cam Higby, have been charged with unlawful voting and identity theft after a provocation at a polling place in Minnesota, BBC News reported, citing prosecutors. Both offenses are felonies under local law. According to the prosecution, the activists in August recorded covert video in which they, wearing Islamic clothing and speaking with affected accents, interacted with election officials, and then published the clip to sow doubt about the reliability of the state's voting system.
What the charges consist of
The Hennepin County prosecutor's office asserts that when obtaining ballots, the men deliberately impersonated registered voters of the county, giving their names without those people's knowledge or consent. The county attorney's office also confirmed that neither of them signed the required oath to verify their address. Higby, a 26-year-old political commentator, rejected the charges in remarks to the BBC: he said he 'did not vote, did not sign the oath, and did not break the law,' and that the stunt was intended to 'expose vulnerabilities' in Minnesota's election system 'that affect all Americans.' He also said the state is now trying to permanently strip him of his right to vote. The BBC contacted O'Keefe for comment; no date for a court hearing has yet been announced.
Which law the provocateurs used
The pretext for the stunt was Minnesota's existing law, which allows registered voters to vouch for the identity and address of up to eight people — a provision intended for those who have recently moved to the state, not for impersonating other voters. Under the law, no one may deliberately misrepresent their identity when obtaining a ballot, depositing it in the ballot box, or attempting to vote via a machine or electronic system. Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, the state's chief election official, said that 'any attempt to hinder or deceive our election workers will not be tolerated,' adding that polling places 'must be places of safety and peace.'
Who is O'Keefe
The 42-year-old James O'Keefe is the founder of Project Veritas, an ultra-right activist group and media company known for covertly recorded conversations and its stated mission to 'investigate and expose corruption.' After leaving Project Veritas, he founded O'Keefe Media Group. For readers of tafs.uz, it is important to note the distinction emphasized by the case materials themselves: the filming at the polling place was not itself the subject of the charges — the prosecution focused on the claim that the activists gave the names of real registered voters, that is, on identity impersonation, not on the fact of recording video.
Image source, Getty Images James O'Keefe, founder of Project Veritas, was charged with unlawful voting and identity theft alongside fellow conservative activist Cam Higby
