The donors have sent the board a cease and desist order after O'Keefe's reported firing, according to a letter sent from the Troutman Pepper law firm. "Our firm represents a large group of significant donors to Project Veritas who have grave concerns about the Board of Directors' reported action to remove Founder and CEO James O'Keefe from this leadership position, change the structure of Project Veritas entities and their Boards (raising risks for the entities' charitable status), and operate Project Veritas for purposes other than those for which the organization was established," the letter states, according to Zero Hedge.
The group is demanding that the board "immediately cease using Project Veritas funds, which were solicited using Mr. O'Keefe and his reputation for purposes of carrying out the organization's mission, in any manner contrary to that mission." In addition, the letter requests that the board retain all evidence related to the matter.
???EXCLUSIVE???: I have obtained a Cease and Desist Demand Letter sent to the @Project_Veritas Board of Directors by a law firm representing a large group of significant PV donors.
RT!!! pic.twitter.com/PHo9vGvYt7
— Swig ?? (@OldRowSwig) February 10, 2023
As Headline USA notes further:
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
The backlash to the dismissal of O'Keefe was immediately blasted on social media.
“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.
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.
— Ben Kew ? (@ben_kew) February 8, 2023
“There is no Project Veritas without James O’Keefe,” Candace Owens tweeted as well. “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.”
There is no Project Veritas without James O’Keefe. 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. https://t.co/H9yukTe1NR
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) February 9, 2023
Lol james *is* PV
Idgaf about a project veritas without James Okeefe https://t.co/EWxt1rUciu
— Tim Pool (@Timcast) February 9, 2023
"You take James O’Keefe away from Project Veritas and there will be no Project Veritas," noted Students for Trump founder Ryan Fournier noted.
You take James O’Keefe away from Project Veritas and there will be no Project Veritas.
— Ryan Fournier (@RyanAFournier) February 9, 2023
Sources include: