'Dem Cowards Can’t Face O’Keefe and Shirley
Segment #981
During the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing titled “Exposing Fraud in America,” independent journalist Nick Shirley and O'Keefe Media Group CEO James O'Keefe presented findings regarding large-scale systemic fraud.
Testimonies of Nick Shirley and James O'Keefe
Nick Shirley's Findings: Shirley testified about his investigations into massive taxpayer fraud, specifically highlighting anomalies in publicly available funding data. He detailed instances in New York City where government-funded adult daycare centers registered an impossibly large number of patients given their small physical facilities. He alleged that these operations involved kickbacks for attendance and signing up new individuals, draining more than $2 billion in taxpayer funds. Shirley also spoke about daycare and autism program fraud schemes in Minnesota—largely involving entities in Minneapolis—noting that the daycare organization with the highest level of government funding in the area had recently pleaded guilty to fraud.
James O'Keefe's Findings: O'Keefe focused his testimony on field reporting conducted by his team in Los Angeles. He asserted that his undercover journalists recorded dozens of exchanges with election petition circulators who were offering money or drugs in exchange for ballot signatures, arguing that these actions undermine democratic processes.
Analysis of the Democratic Absence
The empty seats on the Democratic side of the dais became a central point of contention during the hearing, though interpretations of their absence differ sharply depending on political perspective:
Republican Interpretation: Republican lawmakers and conservative commentators argued that the Democratic members boycotted the hearing because they were embarrassed to face the findings. From this viewpoint, the fraud schemes uncovered—such as those involving government-funded programs in major metropolitan centers like New York and Los Angeles—reflect poorly on the oversight and policies of Democratic-led "sanctuary" cities and states. They alleged that facing testimony from conservative-leaning independent investigators would force an uncomfortable reckoning with how taxpayer money is managed in those jurisdictions.
Alternative Context and Counter-Perspectives: Assessments regarding whether the committee's minority was "too embarrassed" or deliberately ducking criticism are highly subjective and depend on differing political viewpoints. While Ranking Member Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) attended the opening statements, the subsequent absence of the remaining minority members is frequently attributed by defenders to a rejection of the witnesses' credibility rather than fear of the topic. Critics of James O'Keefe and similar undercover investigators often argue that such hearings are used as partisan platforms rather than objective oversight, choosing not to participate to avoid legitimizing methods or findings they view as politically motivated or legally controversial.
To see the full testimonies and arguments presented during the session, you can watch the Senate Committee Hearing on Fraud in America, which provides the complete context of the exchange between the witnesses and the present committee members.