Conservative activist James O'Keefe will skip his scheduled trip to the Republican National Convention, citing "government restrictions" that will prevent his appearance.
O'Keefe was slated to be the guest of honor at a Tuesday luncheon hosted by the James Madison Institute, a free-market oriented think tank. However, according to a statement on the organization's website, O'Keefe was forced to cancel his trip.
"Due to unforeseen circumstances, the guest speaker for our luncheon, James O’Keefe, will not be able to personally attend JMI’s event tomorrow," read the statement. "However, he will participate via Skype with both remarks and a robust Q & A session. Come hear why the federal government has revoked permission for him to travel to Tampa."
Prior to the cancelation, event organizers had touted the event as a hot ticket, with just 60 seats available at the luncheon.
O'Keefe has gained notoriety through his Project Veritas group, which uses undercover video to try and expose the alleged problem of voter fraud in order to justify controversial voter ID laws. As studies have shown, fraud at the ballot box is not nearly as common as O'Keefe and other voter ID advocates suggest. Nevertheless, the contentious measures threaten to disenfranchise thousands of voters.
This isn't the first time the divisive activist has canceled due to travel concerns. Earlier this year, he Skyped into a New Hampshire event to avoid triggering a criminal grand jury subpoena.
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