Jury Rules Project Veritas Violated Wiretapping Laws and Fraudulently Misrepresented Themselves

That is according to a ruling in a federal civil case this week where jurors decided that Project Veritas operatives lied when conducting an investigation into a Democratic consulting firm called Democracy Partners. The jury ordered the consulting firm to pay $120,000.

The alleged sting operation is said to have started in 2016 when Project Veritas operative Allison Maass allegedly released secret recordings depicting attempts by Democracy Partners to indoctrate violence at Trump rallies. According to a lawyer for Democracy Partners, the consulting firm lost organizing contacts after the release of the recordings.

A fake resume and fake name have been used by a man as part of an internship. The jury found that the act of subterfuge was fraudulent.

Democracy Partners said in a statement that the decision today will hopefully discourage Mr. O'Keefe and others from conducting political spy operations.

James O'Keefe said they would appeal the jury's decision. The ruling could affect investigative journalism in a number of ways.

The case isn't about whether you like or dislike Project Veritas. The loss of journalistic independence is mourned today. Journalists should be able to investigate who they think is appropriate in the legal way they deem appropriate.

Project Veritas has encountered law enforcement before. FBI agents were working with federal prosecutors when they searched two places. The organization obtained and leaked the private diary of Joe Biden's daughter in the lead up to the 2020 presidential election. Many of the same civil liberties groups and news organizations have condemned the raids. The New York Times editorial board released a statement opposing the actions.

The concept of undercover journalism has been around for hundreds of years. Veteran undercover reports often work with imperfect, but still strict ethical and moral guidelines concerning representation and honesty, but Project Veritas has a storied track record of throwing those traditional journalists' concerns out the window all in the name of owning the libs.