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Prosecutors charge two conservative activists over using voters' names at Minnesota polling places

Prosecutors say James O'Keefe and Cam Higby gave poll workers real voters' names, while Higby says he broke no law.

16 news outlets reported this
Liberal6 outletsCenter6 outletsConservative4 outlets
Published 3 min read
Overview

On Wednesday, Oct. 28, Hennepin County prosecutors in Minnesota announced charges against conservative activists James O'Keefe, 42, and Cam Higby, 26. The counts are unlawful voting and identity theft. They stem from the Aug. 11 primary, when the two visited polling places in costume and filmed themselves.

County Attorney Mary Moriarty said they gave election judges the names of real registered voters, without those voters' knowledge or permission. Outlets describe the costumes as Muslim attire, worn with fake accents. Several reports say the men did not sign the oath required before getting a ballot, but Moriarty said state law bars misstating one's identity when applying for one.

She said poll workers flagged the behavior and that the system for catching misconduct "functioned well." O'Keefe's group said the aim was to test Minnesota's vouching law. Higby said he never voted, never signed an affidavit and never broke the law.

UPI reports O'Keefe said he faces charges for "exposing fraud in Minnesota" and that the case is "not political." Straight Arrow News and the Daily Caller report a five-year maximum for each felony. Neither man has entered a plea.

Outlets differ mainly in framing: what they say the stunt was meant to show, and how much political context they add.

Three sides of the story

Liberal6 outlets

Left-leaning outlets report the charges and quote Moriarty and Secretary of State Steve Simon, then add context. CBS News stresses that Minnesota's law does not allow impersonating real voters. It quotes William Pomeranz, whose name O'Keefe used, saying the process worked, and says a Hamline University law professor and Simon made similar points in August.

NBC reports Moriarty's statement that some names belonged to deceased voters and places the case beside Trump's years of voter fraud allegations and the administration's push for state voter rolls. The Independent carries wire copy that includes David Becker, a former official, saying he knew of no widespread fraud from vouching. An MS NOW piece argues the case fits a pattern of Republicans charged with fraud while promoting fraud claims.

It calls the racism in the costumes unsubtle and writes that "intimidation appears to be the primary intent here."

Center6 outlets

UPI gives the most detail on next steps: the men got summonses, are not in custody and are due in court on Nov. 16. It quotes Moriarty saying charges could proceed even without the video, and that some names belonged to deceased people. It also carries O'Keefe's reply that he is charged for "exposing fraud in Minnesota,"

Higby's "lawfare" post, and O'Keefe's 2010 to a federal misdemeanor. The BBC reports Higby's interview, in which he says he wanted to expose vulnerabilities and that the state is trying to take away his right to vote. It adds that the law is meant to help people who recently moved.

Newsweek repeats Moriarty's words on the unsigned oath and the focus on applying for ballots. Straight Arrow News reports the five-year maximum and, citing The New York Times, O'Keefe's stated aim. It quotes Simon and Higby.

Conservative4 outlets

Right-leaning outlets emphasize the men's own account and scrutinize the prosecutor's record and motives. The Daily Caller headline says the pair exposed "election security loopholes" and calls O'Keefe a journalist. It describes Moriarty as a liberal prosecutor, reports her statement that the charges are unrelated to politics, and reviews criticism of her handling of other cases.

Breitbart calls the men investigative journalists and the prosecutors left-wing. It says Moriarty has financial ties to George Soros and quotes her saying journalists must identify themselves in a polling place and that being offensive is not illegal. Both outlets quote Higby calling the case "lawfare."

The Washington Times reports that O'Keefe accused prosecutors of "weaponized lawfare." The New York Post ran the Associated Press story that The Independent also carries, with Moriarty's account, the group's statement and Becker's comments.

All sources: 17 articles from 16 outlets

Liberal (6)

Center (6)

Conservative (5)

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Felony and misdemeanor

A felony is a serious crime that can bring more than a year in prison, and a conviction can cost the right to vote or some jobs. A misdemeanor is a lesser offence: up to a year in jail, a fine or probation.

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Justice Department

The federal ministry that prosecutes federal crimes. The FBI is part of it, and its head is the Attorney General.

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Plea deal

The accused pleads guilty, usually to a lesser charge or for a lighter sentence, and there is no trial. Most criminal cases in the US end this way.

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