Editor’s note: This story has been updated with comments from Project Veritas saying they intend to continue.
Project Veritas ended fundraising operations this week after 23 years, apparently lacking the funds to continue after it ousted its founder James O’Keefe in February. But it says it is going to try to stay open for business.
On Wednesday, Human Resources Director Jennifer Kiyak informed the staffers of layoffs.
“In the interest of preserving the possible future existence of Project Veritas we need to put operations on pause and, as communicated since the Spring, another Reduction in Force (‘RIF’) is necessary,” Kiyak wrote.
O’Keefe has gone on to start a new media group, O’Keefe Media Group, with the acronym OMG.
“Since James quit,” a source told Post Millennial, “the donations dried up…the donations never resumed. The board were desperate to bring Hannah on board because they thought it would be cute but the problem is she’s a charlatan and a fraud. Everything she’s ever done has been a failure and she lied to everyone claiming she had all these donors she could bring in.”
During 2022, Project Veritas conducted an undercover operation that exposed the ties between Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s campaign staff and the push to create open primaries and ranked choice voting in Alaska. It was a classic Project Veritas endeavor, getting people to tell the truth while they are being secretly filmed.
Project Veritas was known for such journalistic sting operations, starting out with secretly recording executives at Planned Parenthood, and going on to take down ACORN, a group that was providing election advice on how to commit fraud. It has also gone after NPR, CNN, and The Washington Post.
The group says on its website that it will soldier on:
“Due to various events and circumstances, we are making changes in the operations of our organization including laying off additional employees. Our hearts go out to our colleagues and their families as this difficult transition occurs, and we thank them for their dedication and hard work and hope for the best new opportunities for them,” wrote Hannah Giles, the current CEO.
“Project Veritas is continuing to operate, but we are pausing our fundraising efforts and proactively taking steps to honor our donors’ expectations and to preserve the trust the American people have placed in us.
“We are sincerely grateful for everyone who supports us in fulfilling our mission. It is our sincere hope that Project Veritas can continue many more years of delivering truth for the American people,” she wrote.
