How do freedom fighters like Project Veritas scumbag James O’Keefe use their nonprofit money? Sometimes they use that money to track down and subsequently engineer fake “news” stories to discredit news organizations. Sometimes, according to IRS filings, it spends more than $20k on packing the seats staffing at your pet project, an outdoor production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! You know, Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain?
The New York Times reports that in its 2021 IRS filings, Project Veritas offered up a “prohibited ‘excess benefit’” to its founder, James O’Keefe. On Monday, the executive director of the nonprofit right-wing outfit, Daniel Strack, explained that the $20,512 the IRS highlighted as an infraction of tax law was spent on Project Veritas staff. Staff that went to see O’Keefe perform in a production of Oklahoma! in Rosalind, Virginia.
RELATED STORY: Pot, have you seen kettle? Project Veritas says ‘fraudsters’ stole their money
The show’s flyer explains that O’Keefe played Curly in the production, and Mr. O’Keefe was joined by other “canceled” folks populating the production. According to Strack, “The disclosure on our 990 pertains to Project Veritas staff helping film behind the scenes and staff who were on site to accommodate James.” These theatre divas, amiright?
That’s … a little much. Right? As a result, O’Keefe received a tax on that excess benefit of 25% from the IRS. That comes out to $5,128. Project Veritas says O’Keefe paid off this benefit this year. I wonder what money he used? The production was put together by “woke mob” phrase-sayer Brian Clowdus.
Clowdus made some conservative news headlines after he was exposed for being abusive, bigoted, and an all-around shitty person to work on theater productions within the Atlanta area. Clowdus took the criticism that he was something of a sociopath and turned it into a MAGA march, ending with him being trounced in his attempt to run for House District 6 seat in Florida.
Project Veritas has been taking a lot of hits in court as of late in its attempts to kill free speech, and spending money on poorly put-together theater productions is probably not the best way to spend money. And this is coming from someone who believes in spending on the arts.
To be very clear, the production looks like it was everything Project Veritas and the right-wing movement is these days: A night of not getting your money back.
Jenifer Fernandez Ancona from Way to Win, is our guest on this week’s Daily Kos’ The Brief. When we spoke with Jenifer back in April she was right about messaging and had the data to prove it. More election data has begun coming in from the midterms and Jenifer is back to talk about what worked and what needs to change going forward in order for the Democratic Party to keep winning.
RELATED STORIES:
James O'Keefe tries to 'sting' the Washington Post with fake Roy Moore victim—gets stung himself
Judge hits Project Veritas with $150,000 bill after it tries to kill free speech
