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Hennepin County Charges James O’Keefe, Cam Higby With Felonies

By Drooid · Oct 28, 2026 · How we work

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Summary

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty charged James O’Keefe and Cam Higby with felony unlawful voting and identity theft.
They entered Minneapolis polling places on Aug. 11 wearing burqas and a full-face veil while filming hidden-camera videos.
They claimed names of real and deceased voters without permission to test the state’s vouching system.
Each felony count carries up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
Their first court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 16, days before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

History

The 2000 Florida recount, halted by the Supreme Court on Dec 12 2000, left Bush ahead by 537 votes out of nearly 6 million, exposing ballot-handling flaws. The controversy spurred the Help America Vote Act and new voter-ID rules. Today, Mary Moriarty’s lawsuit against James O’Keefe and Cam Higby for entering Minneapolis polls in burqas revives those reform concerns, prompting Minnesota to consider tighter identity-check protocols.

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The 2000 Florida recount, halted by the Supreme Court on Dec 12 2000, left Bush ahead by 537 votes out of nearly 6 million, exposing ballot-handling flaws. The controversy spurred the Help America Vote Act and new voter-ID rules. Today, Mary Moriarty’s lawsuit against James O’Keefe and Cam Higby for entering Minneapolis polls in burqas revives those reform concerns, prompting Minnesota to consider tighter identity-check protocols.

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