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James O'Keefe (left), pictured in 2015, has carried out a series of high-profile video operations against organizations like Planned Parenthood and ACORN, as well as news outlets, including NPR and CNN. | Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Photo Teachers union gets restraining order against O'Keefe video venture

The Michigan chapter of a major teachers union has obtained a temporary restraining order against an organization run by conservative provocateur James O’Keefe.

Wayne County Circuit Judge Brian Sullivan issued the order Friday that blocks Project Veritas and a woman said to be working with the group, Marisa Jorge, from disclosing videos or other information gathered during an undercover operation carried out against the American Federation of Teachers office in Detroit.

AFT alleges that Jorge, using the name Marissa Perez, obtained an internship at AFT beginning in May of this year and that during the internship she often acted suspiciously.

Jorge “showed an interest in charter schools and in instances of educators who had supposedly engaged in ‘sexting'’ with students; there were no such instances,” the court complaint says. “Over the next three months Defendant engaged Plaintiff’s staff and regularly sought information which was beyond her assignment. … Defendant Jorge appeared at Plaintiff’s work site wearing adornments which are capable of hiding a camera or recording device. She wore large pearls, large glasses and clothing with buttons capable of hiding a camera.”

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AFT says that Jorge is actually a Liberty University graduate but that she posed as a University of Michigan student when seeking the internship. The union alleges that earlier this year Jorge tried to infiltrate DisruptJ20, a group opposed to President Donald Trump’s inauguration, but that she was identified and driven out.

Several of Jorge’s social media pages appear to have been abruptly taken down in recent days.

The restraining order issued Friday is unusual. It was granted at a hearing where Project Veritas’ attorneys were not present. The judge set another hearing for Oct. 10 to decide whether the order should be continued.

A spokesman for Project Veritas, Stephen Gordon, dismissed the significance of the lawsuit.

“James O’Keefe and Project Veritas have not been served with any court action in Michigan and we do not comment on investigations, real or imagined,” Gordon said via email. “Project Veritas has focused this year on investigating the mainstream media. I expect Politico to be as anxious to report on our findings in our upcoming investigative release aimed right at the heart of the establishment media complex as they are to bashing Project Veritas based on over-hyped press releases that don’t amount to anything of consequence.”

AFT President Randi Weingarten praised the judge’s order.

“James O’Keefe and his operatives will stop at nothing to smear their ideological opponents — deception, distortion and dirty tactics — all to advance a political agenda that undermines public school students, teachers and families,” she said in a statement. “We are grateful that the Michigan court has protected — at least for now — students, teachers and families in Michigan.”

O’Keefe has carried out a series of high-profile video operations against organizations like Planned Parenthood and ACORN, as well as news outlets, including NPR and CNN.

In 2010, O’Keefe was arrested for posing as a telephone repairman in order to gain access to an office of Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.). He eventually pleaded guilty to a federal misdemeanor, was fined $1,500 and was sentenced to probation.

The new suit seeks at least $50,000 in actual damages and $3 million in punitive damages.

O’Keefe and Project Veritas are already facing a $1 million lawsuit brought by liberal activists who say they were targeted by an O’Keefe-directed operation aimed at making them appear to be instigating violence at Trump presidential campaign rallies and events.

