5 things to know about James O'Keefe's departure from Project Veritas

By Ryan Foley, Christian Post Reporter Thursday, February 23, 2023

4. The Pfizer videos

In his farewell remarks to Project Veritas staff, O'Keefe repeatedly suggested that the "Directed Evolution" video featuring Pfizer's Walker played a role in unleashing the events that led to his departure from the company.

In the video, Walker suggested his company could engage in "selected structure mutations to see if we can make [the viruses] more potent."

Walker referred to his company's efforts as "directed evolution," rejecting the characterization of experiments involving the infection of monkeys with mutated viruses as "gain-of-function research."

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has defined gain-of-function research as "juicing up naturally occurring animal viruses to infect humans."

The conversation with Walker came three years after the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the world by causing the deaths of nearly 7 million people. Governments ordered lockdowns to stop the spread of the disease.

Walker also detailed a cozy relationship between pharmaceutical companies and the people who regulate them. He spoke of a "revolving door for all government officials," where "regulators who review our drugs" decide that they want to work for the company down the line. "Once they decide they want to go work for the company, they're not going to be as harsh on the company," he explained.

In the video, Walker described coronavirus as a "cash cow" for Pfizer, illustrating how the distribution and promotion of coronavirus vaccines have been a boon to the company.

When O'Keefe confronted Walker about what he said in the undercover tape, Walker claimed he was "trying to impress a person on a date" by lying.

Walker, who is black, called the police and alleged racial bias on the part of Project Veritas. An altercation between Walker and Project Veritas staff ensued.

On Feb. 9, two weeks after the "Directed Evolution" video dropped and about a week after the chain of events leading to O'Keefe's departure began, a Project Veritas journalist attempted to confront Pfizer CEO Albert Borla at a meeting taking place at a hotel in New York City.

When the journalist tried putting the microphone up to Borla's face to allow him to respond to her questions, Pfizer Senior Manager of Executive Protection Timothy Conway repeatedly pushed her arm away and ordered her to "get out of my face."