CNN Leaks: Conservative Activist James O’Keefe Publishes Alleged Newsroom Footage

Conservative activist James O’Keefe on Thursday released the first part of cache of audio recordings he claims come from CNN headquarters and believes exposes what he calls “media malfeasance” by the cable news network.

“Project Veritas was given over 200 hours of audio from an anonymous source earlier this month,” O’Keefe said on his website, soliciting volunteers to “help transcribing, investigating and connecting the dots.”

“This secretly recorded audio was obtained at CNN’s Atlanta headquarters in 2009,” he said. On Wednesday, he said in an interview on CNN, “This is all legally recorded information.”

CNN did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.

Also Read: James O'Keefe Threatens to Leak 'Hundreds of Hours' of CNN Newsroom Footage

 

“I want to start exposing the media and their flaws,” O’Keefe tweeted in a timely echo of President Donald Trump’s verbal attacks on major news organizations, CNN in particular. “This is the beginning of the end for the MSM. And it starts today.”

For years, O’Keefe has targeted liberal groups but his Project Veritas has been criticized for questionable tactics and selectively editing of videos. According to PolitiFact, his videos are “edited in ways that the context of the conversation or the meaning of the statement isn’t always clear.”

But O’Keefe’s work as a provocateur has made an impact, most recently triggering the resignation of Democratic operatives who were apparently caught on camera discussing ways to disrupt Trump campaign rallies.

He first gained notoriety for his 2009 headline-grabbing release of undercover videos alleging illegal activity by employees of ACORN, a community organizing group that helped register low-income people to vote.

One employee sued O’Keefe, claiming he broke the law by taping him without consent. O’Keefe eventually settled the case for $100,000. But the videos led to ACORN losing its federal funding and eventually filing for bankruptcy.

Meanwhile, O’Keefe is now offering $10,000 to anyone “willing to provide video/audio exposing malfeasance” in the mainstream media.

While TheWrap has no proof that any of the footage is authentic, CNN has reported the story itself and it will be interesting to see how the network covers the information going forward.

He sent another tweet mocking CNN talent, saying he hopes they’re on their best behavior. O’Keefe’s Twitter feed has been extremely active since using the platform to release the initial “CNN Leaks,” holding a press conference in what appears to be a hotel room and broadcasting it via Periscope.

“A lot of guilty consciousness at CNN, we’re learning,” O’Keefe said, explaining that CNN producers have been calling him “freak out” regarding what could be found on the footage dump.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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