MAMARONECK, New York (PNN) - February 10, 2023 - The board of directors of Project Veritas on Wednesday placed its founder and chairman, James O’Keefe, on paid leave as it reportedly moves to oust him from his leadership position.

The organization’s executive director informed employees of the news via an internal message that said O’Keefe would be taking “a few weeks of well-deserved PTO,” according to NY Mag’s Intelligencer.

Widespread reports of a hostile takeover point to a more insidious long game at play, with the move coming after two bombshell undercover video reports from Project Veritas that showed a Pfizer research scientist discussing the company’s gain-of-function work to maximize vaccine profits.

Project Veritas' board is slated to meet Friday, when O’Keefe’s potential ouster will be discussed, one source told the Intelligencer.

The backlash from all fronts was fierce and furious when news broke about the brewing coup.

“Absolute madness if he is being forced out just weeks after Project Veritas celebrates one of its greatest-ever journalistic investigations with which O’Keefe was intimately involved,” wrote Human Events editor Ben Kew.

“There is no Project Veritas without James O’Keefe,” Candace Owens tweeted. “I say this as a donor to the organization, but more importantly as a colleague who watched him pour everything he had into PV over the years. The money and supporters will follow James.”

Project Veritas’ Board of Directors tried to deflect the heat, shifting blame on corporate media for fanning flames and posting a response to the backlash.

“Despite what corporate media tries to portray about our organization, know this: we have never been more motivated and dedicated to our mission than now,” the group tweeted.

Fans, supporters, and colleagues of O’Keefe were less than impressed, and continue to express their support for the investigative journalist.