(Mark Pellin, Headline USA) The board of directors of Project Veritas on Wednesday placed its founder and chairman, James O’Keefe, on paid leave as it reportedly moves to oust him from his leadership position.
The organization’s executive director informed employees of the news via an internal message that said O’Keefe would be taking “a few weeks of well-deserved PTO,” according to NY Mag’s Intelligencer.
Widespread reports of a hostile takeover point to a more insidious long game at play, with the move coming after two bombshell undercover video reports from Project Veritas that showed a Pfizer research scientist discussing the company’s gain-of-function work to maximize vaccine profits.
“about ten employees aired their grievances about James, which essentially boiled down to him being a tough boss to work for. At the end of this six hour struggle session, Tyrmand and fellow board member John Garvey put him on leave and stripped him of all authority.”
— Swig 🇺🇸 (@OldRowSwig) February 9, 2023
This comes in the immediate aftermath of @Project_Veritas GREATEST moment ever, exposing corruption at Pfizer, which my source thought was EXTREMELY SUSPICIOUS timing.
You boot the founder right after your biggest win of all time???
PV must explain this situation!!!
— Swig 🇺🇸 (@OldRowSwig) February 9, 2023
Project Veritas’s board is slated to meet Friday, when O’Keefe’s potential ouster will be discussed, one source told the Intelligencer.
The backlash from all fronts was fierce and furious when news broke about the brewing coup.
“Absolute madness if he is being forced out just weeks after Project Veritas celebrates one of their greatest-ever journalistic investigations with which O’Keefe was intimately involved,” wrote Human Events editor Ben Kew.
“There is no Project Veritas without James O’Keefe,” Candace Owens tweeted. “I say this as a donor to the organization, but more importantly as a colleague who watched him pour everything he had into PV over the years. The money and supporters will follow James.”
Project Veritas’s board of directors tried to deflect the heat, shifting blame on “Corporate Media” for fanning flames and posting a response to the backlash.
“Despite what the Corporate Media tries to portray about our organization, know this: We have never been more motivated and dedicated to our mission than now,” the group tweeted.
Fans, supporters and colleagues of O’Keefe were less than impressed, and continued to express their support for the investigative journalist.
Lol james *is* PV
Idgaf about a project veritas without James Okeefe https://t.co/EWxt1rUciu
— Tim Pool (@Timcast) February 9, 2023
🙏 Stand with #JamesOKeefe pic.twitter.com/erp7iqFiNK
— Cumberland Academy (@CumberlandAcad3) February 9, 2023
You take James O’Keefe away from Project Veritas and there will be no Project Veritas.
— Ryan Fournier (@RyanAFournier) February 9, 2023
Dear @Project_Veritas, if James O’Keefe, the founder and chairman of Project Veritas, is forced out because you corporate types have no stomach for REAL journalism, or because you have allegiances to Pfizer, we will follow @JamesOKeefeIII, and YOU will become an hollow shell. -VJ pic.twitter.com/1ZrYpGsz7N
— RealVinnieJames (@RealVinnieJames) February 9, 2023
