'Ludicrous': Van Jones calls BS on James O'Keefe 'nothingburger' attack video that was strategically edited

The "nothingburger" video that was shot by right-wing pro-Trump provocateur James O’Keefe to "expose" progressive activist Van Jones turns out to be a hoax. Like many of O'Keefe's videos, the videographer edited out part of what Jones said so that it would say what O'Keefe wanted it to.

“The Russia thing is just a big nothingburger," Jones appeared to say. "There’s nothing there you can do."

The video appears to show Jones recognizing who he's talking to but he doesn't know that he's being taped.

“If you take any one line of my argument out of context, you can use it to pull off a hoax. That’s what O’Keefe’s minions did,” Jones wrote in a CNN op-ed about the incident.

“The notion that I think Trump is innocent of all wrongdoing in Russiagate is ludicrous. But perhaps the people on team Trump can afford to live in a fantasy world," he went on. “Did I mean that there is ‘nothing’ to the allegations that members of team Trump colluded with the Russians and then tried to cover it up by firing FBI Director James Comey? No - and far from it."

Jones went on to say that there is no evidence, this week, soon, or ever that ever be powerful enough to force the GOP to get rid of Trump.

Jones also believes "there probably was collusion” between Trump's campaign and Russian hackers.

“Putin is the only person (besides Ivanka) whom Trump never disses. Given how Trump lashes out at everyone else, that fact alone is fishy,” Jones explained.

O'Keefe has been successfully sued for his misleading videos and strategic editing in the past. His organization "Project Veritas" spelled disaster for many who have worked with the group and were involved in illegal actions. In 2010, he was sentenced to three years probation, 100 hours of community service and $1,500 fine after pleading guilty to misdemeanor charges when he tried to wiretap Sen. Mary Landrieu's (D-LA) office.