James O’Keefe, a conservative activist known for using hidden cameras on unwitting participants to lend support to his views, turned his lens on the District’s primary elections last Tuesday to weigh in on voter ID laws.
A man from James O’Keefe’s organization, Project Veritas, entered a precinct in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Northwest on Tuesday and suggests to a poll worker that he was “Eric Holder,” according to video posted online. The man gives his address and ends up leaving instead of entering a poll booth.
Mr. Holder is the attorney general for the United States and lives in the Northwest neighborhood. While many conservatives think voters should be required to present identification when the go to the polls, Mr. Holder has spoken against the proposals as an unnecessary move that could bar legal residents from voting.
In Mr. O’Keefe’s video, the “voter” tells the pollworker he forgot his ID.
“You don’t need it, it’s all right,” the pollworker replies.
“As long as you’re in here you’re on our list — and that’s who you say you are, you’re OK,” he adds.
Mr. O’Keefe’s associate says he would “feel more comfortable” if he retrieved his ID and leaves.
“I’ll be back faster than you can say furious,” the man tells the pollworker, a jab at Mr. Holder’s handling of “Operation Fast and Furious,” in which guns sold in a federal “gunwalking” stings showed up at violent crime scenes.
A spokeswoman for the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics said their general counsel is looking into the O’Keefe video, but could not comment further.
She did note, however, that “impersonating a voter is a crime.”
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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