Here’s a concise timeline of James O’Keefe’s major “sting” operations under the Project Veritas banner (and before its formal founding), with date, location, a brief description—and note that O’Keefe and Project Veritas are firmly on the right‑wing of the U.S. political spectrum, targeting mostly liberal and left‑leaning organizations:
1. Planned Parenthood recordings (2006–2008)
When & Where: 2006–2007, Planned Parenthood clinics in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, plus phone calls to clinics in six states.
What: Undercover videos (and calls) purporting to show staff agreeing to perform or facilitate underage abortions or accept donations with racial conditions. He and Lila Rose heavily edited the footage.
Outcome: Planned Parenthood removed videos after legal threats; widespread criticism of selective editing.
. Wikipedia
2. ACORN videos (Summer 2009)
When & Where: Summer 2009, ACORN offices in eight U.S. cities (including Philadelphia, Baltimore, D.C., Miami, Los Angeles, San Diego).
What: O’Keefe and Hannah Giles posed as a pimp and prostitute, secretly recording ACORN employees giving (heavily edited) advice on evading laws.
Outcome: Congress froze federal funding to ACORN; later investigations cleared ACORN of wrongdoing. O’Keefe settled a privacy lawsuit for $100,000 and apologized. American Federation of Teachers
Wikipedia
3. New Jersey Teachers’ Union (NJEA) “Teachers Unions Gone Wild” (Oct 25–26, 2010)
When & Where: October 25–26, 2010, NJEA leadership conference (New Jersey).
What: Covert recordings of teachers discussing tenure and firing, plus a staged phone call with a school official.
Outcome: Legal threats but no suit; union called it a “calculated attack” and “flat‑out sleazy.”
Wikipedia
4. Medicaid “sting” videos (Summer 2011)
When & Where: Mid‑2011, welfare offices in Maine, Ohio, South Carolina, Virginia, North Carolina.
What: Actors posed as drug smugglers seeking Medicaid, filmed workers advising them.
Outcome: State reviews found no actual fraud; videos used for staff training.
Wikipedia
5. US–Mexico border crossing as “Bin Laden” (Aug 2014)
When & Where: August 2014, crossing at Texas border.
What: O’Keefe dressed as Osama bin Laden to demonstrate alleged porous security.
Outcome: Cited in Senate hearings; more spectacle than policy impact.
Wikipedia
6. Colorado mail‑in ballots baiting (Oct 2014)
When & Where: October 2014, Democratic campaigns and groups in Colorado.
What: Operatives proposed fraudulent handling of mail‑in ballots to bait staffers into condoning fraud.
Outcome: Targets resisted or alerted police; no proof of actual wrongdoing.
Wikipedia
7. Americans United for Change / “Rigging the Election” (Oct 18, 2016)
When & Where: October 18, 2016, Americans United for Change staff (location unspecified).
What: Edited videos suggesting Democratic organizers planned illicit “bird‑dogging” at Trump rallies.
Outcome: Wisconsin AG found no evidence of illegal acts; subsequent lawsuits and a 2022 jury verdict against PV for wiretapping ($120,000).
Wikipedia
8. Inauguration‑related stings (Jan 9 & 16, 2017)
When & Where: January 9 & 16, 2017, at Trump inauguration events in Washington, D.C.
What: Attempted bribe to incite a riot; hidden‑camera of activists allegedly plotting “stink bombs.”
Outcome: Targets denied plotting; three pleaded guilty on the latter.
Wikipedia
9. Attempted sting of Open Society Foundations (Mar 16, 2016)
When & Where: March 16, 2016, a voicemail to Open Society Foundations (NY).
What: Posed as a donor “Victor Kesh,” accidentally recorded his own planning conversation.
Outcome: Revealed his tactics, embarrassed O’Keefe.
Wikipedia
10. Failed Washington Post sting (July–Nov 2017)
When & Where: Mid‑2017, attempted infiltration of The Washington Post in D.C./Mamaroneck, NY.
What: Operative Jaime Phillips tried to plant a false Roy Moore pregnancy story, then covertly recorded Post staff discussing bias.
Outcome: The Post uncovered the ruse, exposed it publicly, and widespread conservative criticism of O’Keefe for bad tactics.
Wikipedia, Time
11. Alleged election‑day hidden‑camera plan (2024 election cycle)
When & Where: Planning by mid‑October 2024, across multiple U.S. states.
What: Recruit election personnel and watchers to secretly film voting/ballot‑counting to allege fraud.
Outcome: Raised legal concerns—most states bar filming at polling places. This is part of a broader far-right effort echoing Trump’s fraud claims.
The Guardian
Political Alignment & Tactics
James O’Keefe / Project Veritas are right‑wing to far‑right in orientation, often receiving support from conservative media and figures (e.g., donations from the Trump Foundation in 2015) and targeting liberal, progressive, and mainstream organizations.
Wikipedia EBSCO
Their hallmark is deceptive undercover operations, heavy selective editing, and misrepresentation of context—practices widely criticized as “dirty tricks.” Mainstream journalists, legal authorities, and even some conservative commentators have condemned many of these stings as unethical or illegal.
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