What I’m reading: Project Veritas Releases Secretly Recorded CNN Audio Tapes

In a WikiLeaks-style dump Thursday, Project Veritas released more than 100 hours of audio from inside CNN’s Atlanta headquarters. In a blog post, Project Veritas, a nonprofit organization, said the clips showed “misrepresentation of polling data” and “anti-Republican bias.”

Founded by conservative activist James O’Keefe, Project Veritas said its mission is to “investigate and expose corruption, dishonesty, self-dealing, waste, fraud and other misconduct in both public and private institutions to achieve a more ethical and transparent society,” its website says. It uses “undercover journalists” to expose alleged corruption.

“Project Veritas does not advocate specific resolutions to the issues that are raised through its investigations, nor do we encourage others to do so,” the website states. “Our goal is to inform the public of wrongdoing and allow the public to make judgments on the issues.

The tapes released Thursday were recorded in 2009 by an anonymous source, Project Veritas said in a statement. CNN employees can be heard discussing which polls to run and denouncing Fox News. O’Keefe told CNN in an interview Wednesday it “has a very important role as the arbiter of news.” 

In response to Politico’s request for a comment on the tapes, a CNN spokesperson said, “I don’t think there’s anything to comment on.” 

Project Veritas also offered a $10,000 award for any other content that “exposes media malfeasance.”

O’Keefe and Project Veritas have conducted undercover investigations in the past. In 2009, O’Keefe and a woman posed as a “pimp and prostitute” and went to the offices ACORN — the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. ACORN employees were shown speaking to O’Keefe about how to get away with criminal activities and the organization ultimately shut down after it lost federal funding and private donations.

Other videos in the Project Veritas archive are titled “Chicago Democratic Election Judges Pretending To Be Republican Judges,” and “Veritas Voter Fraud Compilation — #VoterFraudIsReal,” among many others.

“Project Veritas is determined to expose malfeasance, corruption and wrongdoing,” O’Keefe said in a statement. “We want to become a destination where citizen journalists can come forward, work with us and make a real impact.”

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