Project Veritas
Project Veritas is an American investigative media and conservative activist organization based in Mamaroneck, New York.
History
In 2015, Project Veritas received $20,000 from the Donald J. Trump Foundation.1) In 2019, the organization received a $1 million donation from an anonymous source through law firm Alston & Bird.2)
James O'Keefe ouster
On February 22, 2023, Project Veritas board member Bethany Rolando sent out an email to donors asking them to continue supporting the organization despite the departure of CEO James O'Keefe.3)
Organization
Project Veritas is a 501©(3) tax-exempt organization.4) A second entity, Project Veritas Action (also known as the Project Veritas Action Fund), is a 501©(4) organization which focuses on the group's political activities.5)
Personnel
| Executive Leadership6) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Notes |
| James O'Keefe | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (former) | Resigned after being relieved of his duties in February 2023 |
| Tom O'Hara | Chief Financial Officer | Joined in October 20187) |
| Jason Killmeyer | Chief Operating Officer | Joined in 2019 |
| Russell Verney | Chief Commercial Officer (former) | Reform Party of the United States, American Liberty Fund |
| Barry Hinckley | Chief Strategy Officer8) | - |
| John Sullivan | Chief Compliance Officer and General Counsel | Joined in the spring of 2019 |
| Zachary Kramer | Senior Associate General Counsel | - |
| Joe Halderman | Executive Producer | Joined in 2014. Convicted of blackmailing David Letterman9) |
| Leon Sculti | Director of Field Operations (former) | - |
| Fredy Mfuko | Production Manager | - |
| Adam Guillette | Donor Development (former) | Americans for Prosperity, Accuracy in Media10) |
| Board of Directors11) 12) | ||
| Steven Alembik | Director | SMA Communications, Wayne Barton Study Center13) |
| Joseph Barton | Director | |
| John Garvey | Director | |
| Bethany Rolando | Director of Development | Leadership Institute, Virginia Conservative Women’s Coalition, Koch Associate Program |
| George Skakel | Director | |
| Daniel Strack | Executive Director | |
| Matthew Tyrmand | Director | |
| James Young | Director | |
| Colin Sharkey | Director (former) | |
Funding
The largest source of funding for Project Veritas is DonorsTrust, a donor-advised fund that allows donors to direct their charitable contributions towards their preferred cause while lawfully masking their identity, and its associated organization called Donors Capital Fund.14)
Additional donors include:15) 16) 17) 18)
External links
1)
, 15)
Rom, G., & Wilson, C. (2017, November 28). Project Veritas: Millions poured into Mamaroneck nonprofit as controversy swirled. The Journal News. https://archive.ph/LPy9u
2)
Mazzetti, M., & Goldman, A. (2020, March 7). Erik Prince Recruits Ex-Spies to Help Infiltrate Liberal Groups. The New York Times. https://archive.ph/JXUER
3)
Emmons, L., & Posobiec, J. (2023, February 22). EXCLUSIVE: Leaked email shows Project Veritas begging donors to stay after removing James O’Keefe. The Post Millennial. https://archive.ph/dZRdx
4)
Project Veritas - Nonprofit Explorer. ProPublica. Retrieved February 22, 2023, from http://archive.today/2023.02.09-213157/https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/272894856
5)
Project Veritas Action Fund - Nonprofit Explorer. ProPublica. Retrieved February 9, 2023, from https://web.archive.org/web/20230209213411/https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/471809663
6)
Project Veritas, Full Filing - Nonprofit Explorer. ProPublica. Retrieved February 22, 2023, from https://web.archive.org/web/20230222225332/https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/272894856/202003179349305580/full
7)
O’Keefe, J. (2020, December 2). End of Year Book. Project Veritas. https://web.archive.org/web/20230224004653/https://downloads.ctfassets.net/syq3snmxclc9/6KOJ9pNjeWsgYzKBheBSYv/a2e7d9a360307fab5f718007d137cda1/12-02-20_EOY_BOOK_PV_-.pdf
8)
Saric, I. (2023, February 20). James O’Keefe ousted at Project Veritas. Axios. https://www.axios.com/2023/02/20/james-okeefe-removed-project-veritas
9)
Siemaszko, C. (2010, September 2). Robert Halderman, ex-producer in David Letterman blackmail plot, gets early release from NY jail. New York Daily News. https://web.archive.org/web/20100905062628/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/gossip/2010/09/02/2010-09-02_robert_halderman_exproducer_in_david_letterman_blackmail_plot_gets_early_release.html
10)
, 17)
Kotch, A. (2020, March 17). Koch-Linked Charity Bankrolled Project Veritas as It Worked With Ex-Spies to Infiltrate Liberal Groups. PR Watch. https://archive.ph/Dz1in
11)
Phillips, A. (2023, February 21). Who is Matthew Tyrmand? Project Veritas board member under scrutiny. Newsweek. https://archive.ph/QmRat
12)
Hoft, J. (2023, February 21). EXCLUSIVE: Project Veritas Staffers tell Board: Quit or We Walk! The Gateway Pundit. https://web.archive.org/web/20230222151908/https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/02/exclusive-project-veritas-staffers-tell-board-quit-or-we-walk/
13)
Steven Alembik. LinkedIn. Retrieved February 25, 2023, from https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-alembik-4b86436/
14)
Nast, C. (2016, May 20). James O’Keefe Accidentally Stings Himself. The New Yorker. https://archive.ph/8WlbI
16)
Israel, J., & Eaton, J. (2017, November 29). Meet the people bankrolling James O’Keefe’s group. ThinkProgress. https://archive.ph/LtA2A
18)
Richardson, D. (2017, December 4). The Koch Brothers and Robert Mercer Bankrolled Right-Wing Firm Project Veritas. Observer. https://archive.ph/izdnZ