Minnesota Prosecutor Charges James O'Keefe and Cam Higby Over Polling Place Stunt

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty on Wednesday, Oct. 28, charged conservative activists James O'Keefe and Cam Higby with felony unlawful voting and identity theft over an Aug. 11 stunt at Minnesota primary polling places. Moriarty said at a news conference that the two men entered multiple polling places and gave election judges the names of registered voters in those precincts without the voters' knowledge or permission. She said they stopped short of signing the oath voters sign before receiving a ballot, but that state law bars intentionally misrepresenting identity when applying for one. The men used hidden cameras, wore disguises and posted videos online. O'Keefe said on X they wore "Muslim garb," including a niqab in one case, to expose flaws in Minnesota's system. They were testing vouching, which lets a registered voter in a precinct vouch for up to eight others. Secretary of State Steve Simon, a Democrat whose office notified Moriarty, condemned deceiving election workers. The charges came six days before the general election.

Left-leaning outlets NBC News and The Guardian US lead with the charges and Moriarty's legal reasoning, quoting her on the unsigned oath and the misrepresentation law. They explain vouching in detail, and The Guardian adds the secretary of state's figure that under 0.6% of 2024 general election votes used it and that vouchers sign affidavits under penalty of perjury. Both include the "Muslim garb" detail and O'Keefe's stated goal. Right-leaning outlets agree on the charges, date and vouching mechanism but frame the stunt differently. The Washington Examiner calls it a test of how easily someone could register on primary day without proof of residence, notes the timing before the election, and quotes Moriarty and Simon. The Daily Mail's headline calls Moriarty "America's wokest prosecutor," quotes O'Keefe's "lunacy" line, stresses millions of views, and highlights Moriarty's admission that the men did not vote. The Hill and Straight Arrow News mostly report the charges.