Conservative influencer James O’Keefe charged with unlawful voting and identity theft in Minnesota

A Minnesota prosecutor charged conservative provocateur James O’Keefe and influencer Cam Higby on Wednesday with felony counts of unlawful voting and identity theft after they showed up at polling places in August using the names of registered voters. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, who announced the charges at a news conference, accused the pair of entering polling places during state primary election voting on Aug. 11 and identifying themselves using the names of registered voters in those precincts without those voters’ knowledge or permission. “Both men stopped short of signing the oath we all sign before receiving our ballot,” she said. “But Minnesota law states clearly that no individual shall intentionally misrepresent their identity in applying for a ballot.” O’Keefe and Higby were using a process under Minnesota law known as vouching.

It allows people to vouch for other voters on Election Day. A registered voter who lives in the same precinct can vouch for up to eight voters, while staff members of residential facilities can vouch for their residents. The pair of influencers disguised and recorded themselves going undercover using hidden cameras at the polling places. They posted videos capturing their interactions on social media in August. O’Keefe said on X that they dressed in “Muslim garb” — including, for one of them, a full-face veil known as a