Conservative Activist O’Keefe Under Fire for Voter Impersonation Stunt at Minnesota Primary

Conservative activist James O’Keefe drew swift condemnation Thursday following the release of an undercover video recorded during Minnesota’s August 11 primary election. The 42-year-old O’Keefe, who maintains ties to West Palm Beach, appeared in the footage disguised in what he described as “traditional Muslim attire” and adopted a foreign accent while attempting to vote under an assumed identity.

O’Keefe posed as William Pomerantz, a real University of Minnesota professor and researcher born in Pittsburgh, according to the video released August 13. Poll workers identified the impersonation and reported it to election officials. Pomerantz confirmed the incident upon learning of the deception August 14, telling WCCO-TV CBS Minnesota that workers properly handled the situation and that the voting process functioned as intended.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations called for criminal investigation into O’Keefe’s actions, with CAIR-Minnesota Executive Director Jaylani Hussein stating that impersonating voters while deploying anti-Muslim stereotypes undermines legitimate election oversight. Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon issued a forceful rebuke August 14, characterizing the group’s misconduct as “outrageous and totally unacceptable” and asserting zero tolerance for such disruptions at polling places.

Simon’s office clarified that Minnesota’s “vouching” law, in place over fifty years, allows registered voters to sign affidavits attesting to the eligibility of up to eight unregistered voters per precinct. In the 2024 general election, fewer than 0.6 percent of votes involved this process, primarily used by senior residents and those who recently relocated without updated identification, Simon explained.

O’Keefe founded O’Keefe Media Group in 2023 after departing Project Veritas, which he established in 2010. He produced the August 13 video in collaboration with Citizen Justice League members Cameron Higby and Anthony Rubin of the Muckraker Brothers. Authorities launched an investigation following the poll workers’ reports to local election officials.