Federal agents have raided the home of conservative journalist James O’Keefe and others involved with his organization as part of an investigation into the alleged theft of a diary that belonged to President Joe Biden’s daughter.
The New York Times reported that O’Keefe’s Mamaroneck, New York, home was searched early Saturday morning.
Others associated with O’Keefe’s organization, Project Veritas, were targeted Thursday in raids related to the diary that purportedly once belonged to Ashley Biden.
In all, three residences tied to Project Veritas have been searched by order of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Project Veritas never published the contents of the diary that initiated the raids because O’Keefe said its authenticity could not be verified.
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In a statement on the Project Veritas website, O’Keefe expressed shock that the Times was even made aware of the raids.
“Within an hour of one of our reporters’ homes being secretly raided by the FBI, the New York Times, who we are currently suing for defamation, contacted the Project Veritas reporter for comment,” he said.
“We do not know how the New York Times was aware of the execution of a search warrant at our reporter’s home or the subject matter of the search warrant, as a grand jury investigation is secret.”
“The FBI took materials of current and former Veritas journalists despite the fact that our legal team previously contacted the Department of Justice and voluntarily conveyed unassailable facts that demonstrate Project Veritas’ lack of involvement in criminal activity and/or criminal intent,” O’Keefe said.
O’Keefe said the FBI raids came after Project Veritas voluntarily surrendered the journal to law enforcement.
Do you think the raids on Project Veritas journalists were politically motivated?
“Late last year, we were approached by tipsters claiming they had a copy of Ashley Biden’s diary. … The tipsters indicated that they were negotiating with a different media outlet for the payment of monies for the diary.”
“At the end of the day, we made the ethical decision that because, in part, we could not determine if the diary was real, if the diary in fact belonged to Ashley Biden, or if the contents of the diary occurred, we could not publish the diary and any part thereof. … Project Veritas gave the diary to law enforcement to ensure it could be returned to its rightful owner. We never published it,” he said.
Defenders of O’Keefe and Project Veritas accused the FBI of trying to intimidate conservative journalists.
I feel like the real reason the FBI is raiding James O’Keefe is because they want to know who is contacts are and who he’s planted at the top levels of government. He’s been exposing the corruption and now the corruption is coming for him.
We must all support Project Veritas!
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) November 6, 2021
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When the FBI is totally fine with the fraudulent Steele dossier and the stealing of Trump’s tax return but on red alert for Ashley Biden’s diary… it’s time to disband them.
— Steven Crowder (@scrowder) November 6, 2021
Or this could have nothing to do with the diary but instead be a warning not to speak to Project Veritas or DOJ and FBI will hunt you down and J6 you.
— John Cardillo (@johncardillo) November 5, 2021
“BREAKING: FBI raids Project Veritas founder James O’Keefe’s home”
I’m sure this is totally legit and not politically motivated at all, right? 🙄https://t.co/H5PM5gaJMX
— Paul Mitchell (@PaulMitchell_AB) November 6, 2021
“Our efforts were the stuff of responsible, ethical, journalism and we are in no doubt that Project Veritas acted properly at each and every step,” O’Keefe said.
“However, it appears journalism itself may now be on trial.”