Democratic operative fired after undercover video suggests egging on Trump supporters


On Tuesday, the group Democracy Partners severed ties with a regional contractor named Scott Foval, who was captured on a secretly recorded video talking about sending people to Donald Trump events to get Trump supporters to "pop off" and hit them, with the purported goal of making Trump look bad. Foval was also fired from Americans United for Change, the group under contract to Democracy Partners, which in turn was hired by the Democratic National Committee. "It's a matter of showing up, to want to get into their rally, in a Planned Parenthood T-shirt, or 'Trump is a Nazi,' you know," Foval is recorded saying. "You can message to draw them out, and draw them out to punch you."
The man who hired Foval, Democratic operative Robert Creamer, said that Foval was engaging in "unprofessional and careless hypothetical conversations" and that "none of the schemes described in this video ever took place." Creamer, who is married to Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), also stepped down from his role working with the DNC and Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.
The video was shot and edited by Project Veritas, the group led by conservative activist James O'Keefe. "While Project Veritas has been known to offer misleading video out of context, some of the language and tactics referenced in the video are troubling even as a theory or proposal never executed," Clinton campaign spokesman Zac Petkanas said in a statement. "We support the Democratic National Committee's appropriate action addressing this matter." You can learn more in the CNN report below. Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Polar scares: assault in the Antarctic
Under The Radar Violence on remote research bases is rare but extremely challenging to police
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
The Week contest: Bird battle
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
Magazine solutions - March 28, 2025
Feature Issue - March 28, 2025
By The Week US Published
-
Trump pauses $175M for Penn over trans athlete
Speed Read The president is withholding federal funds from the University of Pennsylvania because it once allowed a transgender swimmer to compete
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump purports to 'void' Biden pardons
Speed Read Joe Biden's pardons of Jan. 6 committee members are not valid because they were done by autopen, says Trump
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
White House ignores judicial deportation blocks
Speed Read The Trump administration deports alleged Venezuelan gang members under a wartime law, defying a court order
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Schumer: Democrats will help pass spending bill
Speed Read The Democrats end the threat of government shutdown
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump pulls nomination of anti-vax CDC pick
Speed Read Former Florida congressmen Dr. Dave Weldon was nominated to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Judges tell Trump to rehire fired federal workers
Speed Read Trump and Elon Musk's DOGE team face a big setback in their efforts to shrink the federal workforce
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump trade war heats up as Canada, EU retaliate
Speed Read The president imposes 25% steel and aluminum tariffs in an effort to revive US manufacturing, though it may drive up prices for Americans instead
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump hawks Teslas, slashes more federal jobs
Speed Read The Education Department cut its workforce in half ahead of an expected Trump order to shutter the agency
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published