BOOK REVIEW: Breakthrough, by James O'Keefe

Over the past five years, no journalist has had a bigger impact than James O'Keefe.  From defunding ACORN, to helping to change laws, to forcing staff changes at major media organizations, Project Veritas gets results.  That's why the left despises O'Keefe.

Breakthrough is O'Keefe's memoir of Project Veritas' first half decade.  O'Keefe narrates the roller-coaster ride in riveting detail.  We were astonished how much action they'd seen in such a short time.

Long before Barack Obama made him a household name, O'Keefe was a student of Saul Alinsky (16). Prior to the ACORN sting, O'Keefe partnered with Lila Rose on the original Planned Parenthood operation.  The ACORN investigation, rather than being financed by nefarious 'billionaires', was put on O'Keefe's credit card:

My critics would later insist that right-wing billionaires had to be funding what would prove to be a remarkably successful sting on a notoriously corrupt organization, but they were profoundly wrong.  I was so broke that summer I had to hit up Stan for the gas and take a long route over the Chesapeake Bay to avoid paying tolls on I-95 through Baltimore. (38)

But enough money came in, the investigation moved forward, and the results speak for themselves:



Following the ACORN investigation his luck turned.  A botched operation in New Orleans (105-122) gave the Obama administration the pretense they needed to put the screws on O'Keefe, which they did.  The middle section of the book details O'Keefe's struggles with the Federal judicial system, which ultimately led to O'Keefe pleading to a minor misdemeanor and spending three years on Federal Probation.  During this time, O'Keefe could not leave the state of New Jersey without permission from the Federal government.

Breakthrough details more incidents than we can do justice with an online review.  The common thread is using unconventional means to discover truths powerful people would rather keep hidden.  Project Veritas' successes inevitably creates a backlash, where the powerful use government to intimidate citizen journalists.  The specifics vary, but the results move the ball forward.  Cahnman's Musings wholeheartedly recommends this insightful, provocative, thrilling, expose of James O'Keefe's Guerilla War to Expose Fraud and Save Democracy.

 Update: Read Twisted Conservative's Review here.