The conservative Project Vertitas media operation nearly doubled its revenue last year after amplifying Donald Trump's baseless election fraud claims, according to a new report
A recent tax filing shows Project Veritas raised about $22 million last year, compared with $12 million the year before, and its leader James O'Keefe drew $412,000 from the group, which has drawn scrutiny from the FBI and criticism for its selectively edited videos, reported the Washington Post.
Project Veritas produced a video two days after the 2020 election that alleged that postal officials had been overheard discussing a plan to backdate mail ballots, which right-wing media and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) amplified before the postal worker who spoke to the media outlet recanted to federal agents.
But, the media outlet claims the worker was coerced into changing his account.
Project Veritas is set up as a 501(c)3 charitable organization, which exempts it from disclosing donors or paying federal income tax and prohibits the group from campaign activity.
A tax filing by the conservative Bradley Impact Fund shows it gave Project Veritas a $6.5 million grant in 2020, its largest expenditure last year and more than it had given to the group in all years since 2012 combined, but it's not clear who else contributed to the outlet's increased revenue.
Smaller donations came from Donors Trust, the Gardner Grout Foundation, the Arizona-based Immanuel Charitable Foundation, the Midwest Innocence Project and True the Vote, according to tax filings.
