Two men face five-year prison terms for Minnesota voting stunt

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty charged James O'Keefe and Cam Higby with unlawful voting and identity theft on Wednesday. Each man faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $10,000. Neither is currently in custody.

The charges stem from an undercover video posted in August. The clip shows O'Keefe and Higby approaching election judges at several Minneapolis precincts while wearing burqas and using fake accents. The pair claimed the stunt exposed gaps in identity verification rules that allow residents to vouch for other voters. No ballots were cast during the visits.

Prosecutors said the men deceived officials by using the identities of actual Minnesota voters without those individuals' knowledge or permission. This conduct violated state law. The video remains pinned to Higby's X account under the title "I Wore Burqa To EXPOSE Election FRAUD In Minneapolis."

Moriarty stated that protecting elections is a top priority for her office. "Individuals engaging in unlawful conduct related to our elections will be held accountable," she said. Steve Simon, the state's top election official, added that any attempt to disrupt or deceive election workers would not be tolerated.

Higby, a social media influencer, rejected the charges in a statement on X. "No laws were broken. They want me in PRISON for exposing election vulnerabilities in their state," he wrote. O'Keefe, known for his undercover investigations, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The case highlights a conflict between public interest in election security and statutory requirements for voter identification. The legal team for the defendants has not yet filed a formal response to the charges. The next scheduled court date has not been announced.