James O'Keefe and Cam Higby charged in Minnesota over undercover polling-place videos
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty charged James O'Keefe and Cam Higby with felony unlawful voting and identity theft over August primary videos made at Minnesota polling places. O'Keefe's group denies impersonating anyone.
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The story, neutrally told
Left · 2On Wednesday 28 October 2026, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced felony charges of unlawful voting and identity theft against James O'Keefe and Cam Higby. NBC NewsLC “A Minnesota prosecutor on Wednesday charged conservative provocateur James O’Keefe and influencer Cam Higby with felony counts of unlawful voting and identity theft” Read at NBC News ↗ Raw StoryL “Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced charges Wednesday against O’Keefe and Cam Higby” Read at Raw Story ↗ Left · 2The charges stem from videos the pair posted online in August, recorded with hidden cameras during Minnesota's 11 August state primary, in which they dressed in Muslim garb, including a full-face veil for one of them. NBC NewsLC “they dressed in “Muslim garb” — including, for one of them, a full-face veil known as a niqab” Read at NBC News ↗ Raw StoryL “The charges stem from videos the pair posted online in August during Minnesota’s primary election.” Read at Raw Story ↗ Left · 1Moriarty said the pair identified themselves at polling places using the names of registered voters in those precincts, without those voters' knowledge or permission; she said they also used names of deceased voters and that her office does not know where they got the names. NBC NewsLC “identifying themselves using names of registered voters in those precincts without those voters’ knowledge or permission”“Asked where they obtained those names, Moriarty said “We don’t know that.”” Read at NBC News ↗
Left · 1Moriarty acknowledged that both men stopped short of signing the oath required before receiving a ballot, but said Minnesota law is clear that no one may intentionally misrepresent their identity in applying for a ballot. NBC NewsLC ““Both men stopped short of signing the oath we all sign before receiving our ballot,” she said.” Read at NBC News ↗ Left · 1At Pratt Elementary School in Minneapolis, someone in the group gave the first name "William" and then "Pomeranz", the name of an actual registered Minneapolis voter, before asking about the state's vouching law. Raw StoryL “replied “Pomeranz,” before asking about the state’s vouching law. William Pomeranz is an actual registered voter in Minneapolis.” Read at Raw Story ↗ Left · 1O'Keefe's group, which calls itself the "Justice League", denied wrongdoing, saying it did not impersonate anyone and only stated a name and asked election workers questions about vouching. Raw StoryL ““The Justice League did not impersonate anyone. At no point did we claim to be William Pomerantz or any other voter,”” Read at Raw Story ↗
Left · 1O'Keefe said in a post on X that the goal was to "expose the sheer lunacy of Minnesota's 'vouching' system"; neither man had responded to NBC News's requests for comment. NBC NewsLC “their goal was to “expose the sheer lunacy of Minnesota’s ‘vouching’ system.””“Neither O’Keefe nor Higby immediately responded to requests for comment.” Read at NBC News ↗ Mixed · 2Under the vouching process, a registered voter in the same precinct can vouch for up to eight others on Election Day; Just the News says the video highlighted this for people who lacked ID. NBC NewsLC “A registered voter who lives in the same precinct can vouch for up to eight voters” Read at NBC News ↗ Just the NewsRC “a state law that permits one registered voter to vouch for up to eight others who lacked ID” Read at Just the News ↗ Left · 2Secretary of State Steve Simon, whose office alerted Moriarty's, said the group apparently aimed to cast doubt on election laws but instead revealed its ignorance of them and put itself in legal jeopardy; he said just 0.6 percent of Minnesota voters were vouched for in 2024 and he recalls no case of vouching fraud. NBC NewsLC “Moriarty said Wednesday that her office was alerted to their conduct by the office of Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon.” Read at NBC News ↗ Raw StoryL “Secretary of State Steve Simon said just 0.6 percent of Minnesota voters were vouched for in 2024, and he does not recall a single case of vouching fraud during his tenure.” Read at Raw Story ↗
Mixed · 2Just the News reports that both offences carry a five-year maximum prison sentence, citing the New York Times for the charges; NBC News says the men are not in jail and will receive a summons to appear in court in Minnesota. Just the NewsRC “Both carry a five-year prison maximum prison sentence.” Read at Just the News ↗ NBC NewsLC “they will be issued a summons to appear in Minnesota for a court appearance” Read at NBC News ↗ Left · 2Context: the Trump administration has targeted Minnesota's vouching law, with the Justice Department demanding records in January, though it has taken no further action; O'Keefe, ousted from Project Veritas in 2023, settled a 2024 lawsuit by a Pennsylvania postmaster over false voter-fraud claims. Raw StoryL “The department has taken no further action, and a judge dismissed an earlier DOJ lawsuit against the state over voter registration.” Read at Raw Story ↗ NBC NewsLC “O’Keefe was removed as the head of Project Veritas in 2023.” Read at NBC News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left4 outlets
- Framing
- Frames the charges as the failure of a stunt that misrepresented how Minnesota's vouching law works, with officials' rebuttals and context on Trump-administration voter-fraud efforts.
- Emphasis
- Prosecutor and Secretary of State Simon's statements, the lack of vouching fraud, O'Keefe's past controversies.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Little of the group's own account beyond a brief denial (NBC has none).
- Charged language
- “Election stunt backfires”“right-wing activist”“provocateur”
- For example
-
“Conservative provocateur James O’Keefe has been criminally charged over a polling place stunt meant to expose supposed weaknesses in Minnesota’s election laws.” — Raw Story
“These tactics by the two conservative influencers come as President Donald Trump has alleged for years that Democrats have committed voter fraud” — NBC News
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Short report presenting the charges as arising from a video highlighting a vouching law, describing O'Keefe as an investigative journalist.
- Emphasis
- The law allowing one voter to vouch for up to eight, and the five-year maximum sentences.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Omits the prosecutor's account of using real voters' names, Simon's response, the group's denial, and the oath detail.
- Charged language
- “Investigative journalist”
- For example
-
“Investigative journalist James O'Keefe was charged in Minnesota over a video he made earlier this year in which he highlighted a state law” — Just the News
What every side reports
- O'Keefe and Higby were charged in Minnesota in connection with videos made at polling places in August.
- The pair dressed in Muslim/Islamic garb for the videos.
- The videos concerned Minnesota's voter vouching law.
- O'Keefe previously led Project Veritas and left it.
Where accounts differ
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Whether the group impersonated registered voters
- Left
- Prosecutor Moriarty says they identified themselves using real voters' names without permission; Raw Story and NBC relay the charge and the group's denial.
- Right
- Just the News says only that they were charged 'for allegedly unlawful voting' and describes the video as highlighting a state law, without the group's denial or the impersonation detail.
-
How to describe O'Keefe
- Left
- 'Conservative provocateur', 'right-wing activist', 'influencer'.
- Right
- 'Investigative journalist'.
-
O'Keefe and Cam Higby were criminally charged in Minnesota over undercover polling-place videos filmed in August.
Reported- Reports 3
- NBC News, Raw Story, Just the News
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The group dressed in Muslim garb for the polling-place videos.
Reported- Reports 3
- NBC News, Raw Story, Just the News
Mary Moriarty person
Says the pair used real voters' names without permission and that Minnesota law bars misrepresenting identity to get a ballot, even though they did not sign the oath.
“But Minnesota law states clearly that no individual shall intentionally misrepresent their identity in applying for a ballot.”” — NBC News
James O'Keefe person
His group denies impersonating anyone and says it only asked about vouching; O'Keefe said the aim was to expose the vouching system.
““We stated a name and asked election workers questions about Minnesota’s vouching process.”” — Raw Story
Left4 articles
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Election stunt backfires as right-wing activist James O'Keefe charged with unlawful voting
Critical Presents the charges as the backfiring of a stunt, with Simon's rebuttal and DOJ context.
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Conservative influencer James O’Keefe charged with unlawful voting and identity theft in Minnesota
Neutral Detailed straight account of the charges, prosecutor's statements and background, with some critical context on O'Keefe's history.
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Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
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James O'Keefe charged over viral voting video in Minnesota
Sympathetic Brief account describing O'Keefe as an investigative journalist who highlighted a state law.
- 28 Oct 15:29 First CBS NewsLC Charges filed against activists who posed as Minnesota voters
- 28 Oct 15:31 +2m Raw StoryL Election stunt backfires as right-wing activist James O'Keefe charged with unlawful voting
- 28 Oct 16:48 +1h 20m NBC NewsLC Conservative influencer James O’Keefe charged with unlawful voting and identity theft in Minnesota
- 28 Oct 17:04 +1h 35m Just the NewsRC James O'Keefe charged over viral voting video in Minnesota
- 28 Oct 17:36 +2h 8m ABC NewsLC 2 right-wing provocateurs facing election-related charges in Minnesota
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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