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CBS Insider April Moss says she 'stand[s] with James O'Keefe.'Twitter/Screenshot

(LifeSiteNews) — Whistleblowers and insiders who helped to expose some of the biggest stories covered by undercover investigative journalism outfit Project Veritas joined forces last week in a powerful video proclaiming that they “stand with James O’Keefe” following his reported exodus from the company he founded and led.

In the two-minute video posted to social media February 24, people who risked their jobs and professional reputations to speak out against corruption within major corporations and government agencies, including Pfizer, Google, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), affirmed their support for O’Keefe amid his widely reported separation from Project Veritas.

The video message comes after February 20 disclosures indicated O’Keefe had been ousted from his leadership role with the nonprofit, LifeSiteNews previously reported. The news followed widespread rumors of a rift between O’Keefe and Project Veritas’ board of directors.

Each side has produced conflicting accounts of the events leading to the separation. While O’Keefe says he was removed from his role by the board, the nonprofit has stated that O’Keefe opted to part ways following tensions regarding his alleged “financial malfeasance” in using donor funds to finance so-called “personal luxuries.” 

Project Veritas has further insisted it did not fire O’Keefe and that it wants him to return to the company. O’Keefe has stated, however, that he was “stripped” of his position by the board, and has hinted at launching a new venture. Supporters of O’Keefe say Project Veritas’ followers are likely to transfer their support to whatever his new venture will be.

READ: James O’Keefe no longer with Project Veritas

In addition to participating in the video last week, the Project Veritas whistleblowers supportive of O’Keefe also issued a written statement explaining their position.

“As individuals who trusted Project Veritas with our stories, the removal of James O’Keefe by the Board of Directors was extremely disappointing and shocking,” they wrote, expressing a sentiment shared by many of O’Keefe’s supporters in asserting: “Without James O’Keefe, there is no Project Veritas.”

The signatories, who said they have “worked directly with Project Veritas journalists” as well as “with Mr. O’Keefe,” and “sacrificed our jobs and our livelihoods in order to give James O’Keefe hard evidence of fraud and corruption,” said they ultimately summoned the courage to do so “because of O’Keefe’s dedication to journalistic integrity and honesty” and “because we trusted him and the organization.”

“That currency of trust can’t be bought with money, and we knew James would never sell us out,” they wrote.

Noting that “unanswered questions” remain “about what transpired between the Board and James O’Keefe,” the insiders and whistleblowers expressed their desire to see “full transparency.” 

They argued that O’Keefe’s work has inspired a wave of whistleblowers willing to brave “media blowback, hit piece and harassment” to reveal the truth. However, they said O’Keefe’s reported “removal… has dealt a devastating blow to future whistleblowers who now many have doubts about the organization and its leadership.”

The letter features two signatures: One by “Project Veritas Insiders”, which is crossed out and replaced with “O’Keefe’s Insiders.”

READ: Conservatives outraged amid rumors James O’Keefe will be removed from Project Veritas

On the same day that the whistleblowers issued their statement and video, current Project Veritas staff released their own short video calling O’Keefe “the creative visionary of our organization” and stating that his separation from the nonprofit “devastated us and the audience we exist for.” 

“James hasn’t resigned, nor was he fired. These events confuse, and they hurt us, leaving all of us in a state of limbo,”  the video continued, promising to continue the investigative work begun by O’Keefe. “We see it as our job to hold the torch for him, while keeping the door wide open for his return.”

“Due to decisions made outside of our control, it’s possible we will never earn back the trust of this audience,” they said. “But we owe it to all of you to try.”

Commenters reacting to the video on Twitter appeared disinclined to accept Project Veritas’ overtures, declaring that the nonprofit had squandered its credibility through its handling of disagreements with O’Keefe.

The investigative organization has lost a substantial number of its supporters amid the ongoing fallout. 

Efforts to staunch the bleeding have included appeals to donors to “give us a chance”, along with continued assurances that it still wants to work with O’Keefe but is also committed to its donors, who they say had been adversely affected by O’Keefe’s use of funds.

READ: Project Veritas loses hundreds of thousands of Twitter followers after parting with James O’Keefe

Meanwhile, the timing of O’Keefe’s separation from Project Veritas, just after the nonprofit broke its blockbuster report about Pfizer’s alleged involvement in mutating the COVID virus to make new vaccines, has raised concerns about the underlying reasons for his reported ouster.

Project Veritas has vehemently denied allegations that its separation from O’Keefe stemmed from pressure from Pfizer.

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