The Southern District of New York (SDNY) recently released a redacted copy of the probable cause affidavit that led to the raid of Project Veritas’ newsroom in 2021 in connection to Ashley Biden’s diary. The case came to a close as the SDNY dropped its legal battle on Thursday.
Project Veritas, led by James O’Keefe, came into possession of Ashley Biden’s diary through a tip, but did not make it public. A staffer from Project Veritas leaked a copy of the diary to the National File. In 2022, two individuals who found the diary at a halfway house pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property. Robert Kurlander and Aimee Harris from Florida admitted to selling the diary to Project Veritas for $40,000.
Ashley Biden, the youngest daughter of President Joe Biden, had left her diary under a mattress at a rehab home in Palm Beach. The diary contained personal entries, including one from January 2019 where Ashley mentioned showering with her father and alluded to potential issues related to a sex addiction.
Following the release of the diary, the federal authorities raided Project Veritas’ newsroom and confiscated electronic devices and reporters’ notes. James O’Keefe criticized the FBI’s actions, claiming that they were unconstitutional and aimed at silencing journalists through secret subpoenas and illegal seizures.
The SDNY’s release of the heavily redacted probable cause affidavit has sparked controversy. While the government argues that it is safeguarding third-party privacy by redacting information, O’Keefe and Project Veritas believe that the government is concealing weak grounds for the search warrant. Project Veritas has spent over $6 million defending O’Keefe and its staff in this case, with no indictment ever being brought forward.
James O’Keefe has expressed his intention to take legal action against all parties involved in the case. Despite the challenges faced by Project Veritas, O’Keefe remains determined to fight for press freedom and transparency.
