FBI Raids Homes of Project Veritas Journalists Over Ashley Biden Diary
In November 2021, FBI agents raided the homes of Project Veritas journalists and founder James O'Keefe as part of a criminal investigation into how the organization obtained Ashley Biden's diary, seizing phones and other materials. Press freedom groups condemned the raids as an unconstitutional intrusion on protected newsgathering.
On November 4 and 6, 2021, FBI agents executed search warrants at the residences of Project Veritas founder James O'Keefe and several associated journalists in the New York area, seizing cell phones and other materials as part of a DOJ criminal investigation into the alleged theft and interstate transport of a diary belonging to Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden. Project Veritas said it had received the diary from a third party, never published it, and had proactively attempted to return it to law enforcement before the investigation began. O'Keefe challenged the warrant in court, arguing the searches violated reporter's privilege protections. U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres appointed a special master to review the seized materials for privileged journalistic content. Press freedom organizations including the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and the ACLU raised serious concerns that the raids, targeting materials related to newsgathering, were an unconstitutional infringement on the freedom of the press regardless of views on the outlet's editorial practices.