West Palm Beach authorities confiscated every firearm owned by investigative journalist James O’Keefe following a restraining order filed by former Project Veritas board member Matthew Tyrmand—a man O’Keefe claims threatened to murder him on hidden camera.

Restraining Order Triggers Gun Confiscation

O’Keefe announced Thursday that police executed the seizure at his O’Keefe Media Group office. The confiscation stems from a Miami-Dade family court temporary restraining order citing domestic violence stalking. O’Keefe recorded the confiscation on video. Tyrmand filed the order despite O’Keefe possessing recordings where Tyrmand allegedly states he wants O’Keefe dead. Florida law requires firearm surrender when domestic violence restraining orders are issued, even before any judicial hearing on the merits.

Project Veritas Board Battle Escalates

The conflict traces back to February 2023, when Project Veritas board members removed O’Keefe as chairman despite his building the organization into a multimillion-dollar investigative operation. O’Keefe has fought to regain control while launching O’Keefe Media Group, which quickly gained success. Earlier this year, O’Keefe released footage from a Miami Beach restaurant encounter where he claims Tyrmand admitted serving as an FBI informant for the Southern District of New York. The recording allegedly shows Tyrmand threatening O’Keefe’s life and displaying a copy of O’Keefe’s book with rifle bullets shot through the heart on the cover.

Constitutional Rights in Question

The case raises concerns about due process and Second Amendment protections. O’Keefe argues that Tyrmand weaponized the restraining order system against him despite possessing evidence of Tyrmand’s alleged threats. Temporary restraining orders can be issued without the accused party present to defend themselves, allowing immediate firearm confiscation before any court hearing determines if the allegations have merit. O’Keefe served the restraining order while livestreaming from his West Palm Beach headquarters. He maintains that using domestic violence procedures against him constitutes abuse of legal process designed to protect genuine victims.