In a terrifying moment, conservative journalists James O’Keefe, Cam Higby, and other members of their team were violently assaulted on Skid Row in Los Angeles, CA on Friday.
O’Keefe and his team were there to expose a “cash for ballots” scheme, much like this one in California we covered a few days ago:
Investigation Launched After Viral Video EXPOSES Mass Ballot Petition Fraud in California
The conservative journalists went undercover on Skid Row, pretending to be homeless people to find out more about what was going on.
Petitioners admitted that they were illegally paying out cash, cigarettes, and drugs to anyone who wanted to forge signatures on the election petitions.
Unfortunately, it appears that the O’Keefe team’s cover got blown, and things ended up escalating to the point of violence.
O’Keefe, Higby, and their crew were able to escape from the attack without getting too hurt, though they were punched and pepper sprayed.
James O’Keefe shared footage of what happened:
My team, myself & @camhigby were just violently assaulted on Skid Row, my camera crew were punched in the neck and face, we were pepper sprayed, but thankfully just escaped. Some members of our team had to run 10 blocks to get out.
We were in the heart of Skid Row confronting… https://t.co/lCmAAPl1op pic.twitter.com/MAOu1oic2L
— James O’Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) March 20, 2026
My team, myself & @camhigby
were just violently assaulted on Skid Row, my camera crew were punched in the neck and face, we were pepper sprayed, but thankfully just escaped. Some members of our team had to run 10 blocks to get out.We were in the heart of Skid Row confronting the petitioners who @Savsays
and my team caught on tape illegally offering drugs for ballot signatures.Please share this video to understand what we’re up against.
Very scary moment.
Citizen journalists like James O’Keefe and Cam Higby are daring to do the work that the so-called “mainstream” media won’t.
Thankfully, there were no serious injuries, this time.
Please pray for their safety.
James O’Keefe also shared a photo of one of the petitioners they talked to:
This is the petitioner @Savsays & I caught on camera giving out cash and cigarettes for signatures.
“I ain’t giving cash, I ain’t giving nothing away” pic.twitter.com/6UpnPryFZH
— James O’Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) March 20, 2026
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli responded to O’Keefe vowing to prosecute those involved in illegal, fraudulent election schemes:
Nothing is more important than the integrity of our elections. The conduct and allegations captured on video undermine confidence in our election system here in California.
Under 52 U.S.C. § 10307(c), it is a federal crime to provide false information on a voter registration… https://t.co/aXEyk1r903
— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) March 17, 2026
Nothing is more important than the integrity of our elections. The conduct and allegations captured on video undermine confidence in our election system here in California.
Under 52 U.S.C. § 10307(c), it is a federal crime to provide false information on a voter registration form or to offer payment to complete a voter registration form.
While longstanding DOJ policy prevents me from discussing specific investigations, I want to assure the public that this DOJ, under the leadership of @AGPamBondi
, will aggressively pursue anyone and everyone involved in violating federal election laws.
If you want to watch O’Keefe’s full exposé on the Skid Row “cash for ballots” scheme, you can do so right here:
CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS FRAUD CASH FOR BALLOTS PART I: Homeless Bribed with Cash & Drugs In Exchange For Registering To Vote & Signing Election Petitions Caught On Tape Undercover On Skid Row In California.
“You can just put Pinocchio Lane.”
California NGOs Encourage Fake… pic.twitter.com/2pkylhgPY9
— James O’Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) March 17, 2026
CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS FRAUD CASH FOR BALLOTS PART I: Homeless Bribed with Cash & Drugs In Exchange For Registering To Vote & Signing Election Petitions Caught On Tape Undercover On Skid Row In California.
“You can just put Pinocchio Lane.”
California NGOs Encourage Fake Addresses To Homeless People To Sign Petitions & Register Voters, A State & Federal Felony. Footage Shows 28 Instances Of Cash Changing Hands For Ballot Signatures & Voter Registration Forms. Many of the petitioners had no understanding of the petitions’ purpose they were advertising. Circulators also instructed individuals to use fake addresses. “Oh, you can just fake an address.”
Weingart Center, which received hundreds of millions in public funding, is on tape directing people to where the fraudulent petitioners are located, and directing homeless individuals to petitioners & coaching plausible deniability. “See they say ignorance is no excuse for the law. But a lot of times, I have to say ‘I didn’t know, I had no idea.’”
We encountered 28 instances of petitioners offering cash, cigarettes, and marijuana for signatures on petitions.
Weingart employees advised: “See they say ignorance is no excuse for the law. But a lot of times, I have to say ‘I didn’t know, I had no idea.’” All happening outside taxpayer-funded housing organizations. Weingart CEO earned $432,000 before resigning from the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency.
James O’Keefe and the OMG Team went undercover on Skid Row, posing as homeless individuals. On hidden cameras, petitioners admitted they are paid $7–$10 per signature, sometimes earning $1,000 or more per day, collecting signatures from individuals with minimal knowledge of what they were signing.
“$7 a signature, $5 a signature, $10 a signature.”
“We gon’ give you $2.”
Populus Inc., a political consulting firm, was circulating petitions funded by @Uber, @Delta, @United, and the American Hotel & Lodging Association (@AHLA). On camera, one petitioner said, “We have one that taxes billionaires 5%. One-time tax. 5% and that’s gonna go towards healthcare.” Other petitions sought to overturn LA’s $30 minimum wage for hotel and airline workers.
Paying per signature and encouraging fake addresses violates federal and state election law and is proof of fraud happening in California.
Weingart employees were caught directing the homeless to the location of the petitioners and coaching them on plausible deniability. Intake coordinator Jason Warren told an undercover journalist exactly where and when to find them:
“Most time they be right across the street, under that tree… Monday through Friday.”
In 2016, nine individuals were arrested on Skid Row for exchanging cash and cigarettes for signatures; in 2019 they were charged on 14 counts under the exact same California Elections Code section.
Yet when confronted, nearby LAPD officers dismissed the activity as “a civil lawsuit.”
“Paying per signature violates state election law and is evidence of election fraud in California,” the investigation concludes. On Skid Row, we captured conduct on tape that violates Federal Law 52 U.S. Code §10307 and state law California Election Code §18603.
Part II coming soon.
What’s your assessment?