Is James O’Keefe the next Julian Assange?

This question, on the minds of some Twitter users, appears to be in response to O’Keefe’s recent expose on the CNN cable news network, in which he allegedly used undercover operatives and hidden cameras to show that at least some CNN employees do not sincerely believe the Russia-Trump collusion story that has been heavily reported by CNN over the past several months, according to the Inquisitr.

Critics of the American Pravda: CNN videos and other Project Veritas works claim that creator James O’Keefe is selectively editing hidden camera footage and using undercover reporters who push subjects in a certain direction in order to portray a company or organization in a light that is biased towards his views, reported Time. Defenders of O’Keefe say that the videos speak for themselves and there isn’t any “context” that would change the meaning of the clips shown, even likening O’Keefe to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, who publishes government-related leaks and documents on his website.

The comparisons to Assange’s work in exposing corruption through Wikileaks is obvious to some, who see these two men as brothers in arms on the quest to uncover hidden truth. But there may be more to this comparison than meets the eye.

Project Veritas vs. Wikileaks

While both Project Veritas and Wikileaks are organizations that have a stated commitment to exposing hidden truths, Wikileaks, with its motto “We open governments,” is more focused on exposing government corruption, whereas Project Veritas has both a public and private focus, according to its website.

In their controversial videos, Project Veritas has tackled ACORN, Planned Parenthood, and teachers’ unions before setting their sights on CNN. Wikileaks, on the other hand, has published materials directly relating to government actions, rising to household-name status in 2010 after U.S. soldier Chelsea Manning sent documents to Wikileaks known as the diplomatic cables, the Iraq and Afghan war logs, and Guantanamo Bay files, according to the Telegraph. These documents exposed U.S. military abuses and government obfuscation during these wars. Wikileaks later found itself in the news again in 2016 when it published leaked Hillary Clinton emails.

Wikileaks also claims to be unbiased, publishing information that has been damaging to Republicans and Democrats alike, as well as publishing information of international significance, such as the TISA (Trade In Services Agreement) trade deal documents. James O’Keefe, on the other hand, is an unapologetic conservative who has targeted liberal causes and organizations with many of his Project Veritas videos, according to Time.

James O'Keefe is the stateside Julian Assange! Well done sir! — Keith cannon (@iwantmorelimbs) June 29, 2017

https://t.co/YbTob86Zo0 "James O'Keefe obviously took a few pages out of Julian Assange's book. Publish some of what they say behind close… — ????????ChristianPatriot (@SavetheUSNation) June 30, 2017

Where would we be today without warriors like James O'Keefe and Julian Assange? God bless ya!!! — ????MAGAMANIA???? (@Drgiggidy71) June 29, 2017

Eventually, O'Keefe won't have to use plants. People will start coming to him with leaks like Assange. — Hutt (@HuttFrame) June 27, 2017

Are James O’Keefe And Julian Assange Allies Fighting The Same Battle?

Despite differences in approach and ideology between these two men, some claim that O’Keefe and Assange are fighting the same battle, albeit in different ways. If O’Keefe and his Project Veritas videos are truly sincere, he is working to expose the truth about CNN and other powerful entities that have national influence. Even though CNN is just a media outlet, its effect, along with other outlets that promote similar stories, has been profound on much of the American public, who seem to be influenced by CNN’s prolific reporting of the Trump-Russia narrative.

O'Keefe has probably joined Assange in his hole to do the work. — Music is My Teacher (@TurnVinyl) June 12, 2017

If James O’Keefe succeeds in exposing CNN through his multi-part video series, this may reverse or at least cause doubt about the Russia-Trump story in the minds of the American public. By taking down CNN, perhaps O’Keefe is affecting public life in his own way, even if it is less direct than Assange’s Wikileaks.

[Featured Image by Frank Augstein/AP Images]