Journalist James O’Keefe has retained prominent Minnesota attorney Chris Madel to represent him as he faces felony identity theft and unlawful voting charges in Hennepin County.
“James O’Keefe is innocent,” Madel said in a statement shared Tuesday with Alpha News. “These charges are Mary Moriarty’s disgraceful attempt to turn her warped politics into a criminal conviction, and we will not be intimidated by the seriousness of the accusations or the politics surrounding them.”
“The evidence will ultimately and completely exonerate James,” Madel added.
O’Keefe is scheduled to make his first court appearance Nov. 16 in Minneapolis. Hennepin County prosecutors charged O’Keefe and journalist Cam Higby last month with felony identity theft and unlawful voting stemming from an undercover investigation they conducted at Minneapolis polling places during Minnesota’s August primary.
Prosecutors allege O’Keefe and Higby misrepresented their identities by using the names of registered voters without their knowledge or permission. Neither man is accused of actually casting a ballot.
CAUGHT INSIDE MINNEAPOLIS POLLING BOOTHS: Minnesota Poll Workers Tell O’Keefe, Dressed in Muslim Garb, & @camhigby, in a Burka, That They Can Vouch for Eight Unregistered Voters Without ID, Allowing Them to Vote in Minnesota Primary Election
Election worker says, “You’re the… pic.twitter.com/bUPVxym08G
— James O'Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) August 13, 2026
Madel has handled several high-profile Minnesota cases and previously won a landmark First Amendment case for Alpha News
In 2025, Madel represented Alpha News, Liz Collin, and Dr. JC Chaix in a defamation lawsuit brought by former Minneapolis Assistant Police Chief Katie Blackwell over reporting connected to the documentary “The Fall of Minneapolis.” A judge dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice in April 2025.
“Today is a complete vindication for Liz Collin, Dr. Chaix, and Alpha News—and a complete victory for the First Amendment,” Madel said following the dismissal.
Madel also represented Minnesota State Trooper Ryan Londregan after Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty charged the trooper with murder in the 2023 shooting death of Ricky Cobb. Moriarty, whose office is prosecuting O’Keefe and Higby, ultimately dropped the charges in June 2024.
O’Keefe is scheduled to make his first court appearance Monday at 2 p.m. at the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility in Minneapolis. He has called on journalists to attend the hearing “in solidarity with the 1st amendment.”
Symone Harms
Symone Harms is a Media Production and Business Marketing student at Bethel University. She is actively involved in The Royals Investment Fund, The 25, theatre, and other leadership positions. She also cohosts Rooted, a podcast dedicated to being rooted in truth, growing in freedom, and prospering in life. A Minnesota native with a passion for storytelling and digital media, she aspires to a career in broadcasting as a news anchor and reporter.
