September 23 (CNNBreakingNews.net) — A federal jury has found Project Veritas, a conservative group that is often accused of application misleading tactics that are responsible for breaches of wiretapping laws and misrepresenting themselves in order to target Democratic policy advisors.
The judges in Washington awarded 120,000 US dollars on Thursday to a member of Democracy Partners who was co-founded by himself described progressive strategist Robert Creamer.
Democracy Partners claimed it was infiltrated by a Project Veritas agent who lied about her name and background to to receive an internship during the 2016 presidential campaign and to secretly record conversations while working there.
The company and Creamer said Project Veritas used “heavily edited” footage in videos that falsely suggested it Conspired to incite violence at the rallies of then-Republican candidate Donald Trump, and planned to encourage voter fraud.
According to the complaint, the espionage cost the plaintiffs who supported Trump’s Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton at least $500,000 contracts.
Project Veritas said it had done nothing wrong and would appeal.
The group based in Mamaroneck, New York, has long characterized their work as journalism and said the verdict threatens deployment hidden cameras by investigative journalists.
“Project Veritas will continue to fight for the right of every journalist to collect news, investigate and publish misconduct — regardless of how powerful the party under investigation may be,” Chief Executive James O’Keefe said in a statement.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Friday.
Media such as the New York Times, which is suing Project Veritas for defamation, and Politico reported before the verdict.
The $120,000 award was based on fraudulent misrepresentation.
US District Judge Paul Friedman, who oversaw the trial, will award damages based on the jury’s separate finding Assess that agent Allison Maaß intended to violate a trust obligation, according to the verdict form.
Friedman has yet to decide on the defendants’ arguments that they should assert themselves legally.
“This case involves fundamental issues of the First Amendment. People on my left prefer to ignore this fact,” defendants’ lawyer Paul Calli said in a statement. “We’ll see what the finish line brings.”
Der Fall ist Democracy Partners LLC et al. gegen Project Veritas Action Fund et al., US-Bezirksgericht, District of Columbia, Nr. 17-01047.