An undercover video has brought potential legal issues for several activists who impersonated Minnesota voters during the primary elections. These activists, formerly part of Project Veritas, claimed to be testing a Minnesota voter law. However, the video footage, which has now been viewed over 7 million times, suggests they might have broken the law.
The activists, now identifying as Citizen Justice League, filmed themselves dressed in what they termed Muslim costumes while using fake accents. They falsely claimed to be Minnesota voters vouching for others. The state’s voter voucher law, in place for 53 years, is designed to help new residents vote by allowing a registered voter to confirm someone’s residence. Impersonating actual Minnesota voters contradicts this intention.
The law is meant to facilitate new residents, not to be exploited for impersonation.
In the video, a man falsely identified himself as William Pomeranz to election officials. The actual William Pomeranz discovered this through unusual messages he received on Election Day. “A student alerted me to the online misrepresentation of my identity,” Pomeranz explained, describing his surprise upon learning about the incident.
Despite the potentially illegal act, the activists did not proceed with illicit voting. Pomeranz praised the poll workers for their vigilance, adding, “I was able to vote without issues, which reinforced my trust in the voting process.”
The man who impersonated Pomeranz in the video, James O’Keefe, faces possible legal repercussions. “Minnesota law prohibits impersonation of another voter, which seems to be what occurred,” stated David Schultz, a constitutional law professor at Hamline University.
Both Schultz and Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon agreed that the incident showed the effectiveness of the electoral system. Simon remarked, “Impersonating another registered voter is illegal, and this video demonstrates those actions.”
Under Minnesota law, this form of voter impersonation is a felony, carrying a maximum sentence of seven years imprisonment and a fine up to $20,000.
Project Veritas, known for releasing covertly recorded videos targeting various entities, has often faced criticism for potentially misleading edits. Its founder, O’Keefe, left the group’s leadership in 2023 amid allegations of financial misconduct.
CBS News Minnesota has contacted both Project Veritas and the Citizen Justice League for comments and is currently awaiting their responses.