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Credit: Becky Burkett/Disney/Walt Disney Archives/CanvaBy now, everyone has seen the video of Disney Senior Vice President Michael Giordano telling an unknown associate that the company doesn’t “hire white men” and that he doesn’t feel there is room for advancement because he is a white man.
BREAKING: Senior Vice President at The Walt Disney Company details discriminatory hiring practices: "Nobody else is going to tell you this, but they're not considering any white males for the job," says Michael Giordano, a Vice President of Business affairs, "there’s no way we’re… pic.twitter.com/IMOsFOLKro
— James O'Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) June 20, 2024
Related: Disney Exec Caught on Tape: ‘There’s No Way We’re Hiring a White Man’
However, new details are emerging about how the video was released and its circumstances. It has also been revealed that the video may have broken California law, and Giordano could sue the website that published it.
The video was set up by Project Veritas founder James O’Keefe, known for “gotcha” journalism and undercover videos against left-leaning targets. The video came to be through a dating website.
According to sources, the O’Keefe Media Group had someone contact Michael Giordano through a dating website. The Disney executive thought he was going on a date, but he was set up for an undercover video.
The original video shows Giordano with the woman in question on at least two dates. Eventually, Giordano admits that Disney uses race in its hiring decisions. Giordano did not know he was being taped during these sessions; he thought he was just on a date.
CONFRONTED: The Walt Disney Senior Vice President Michael Giordano is confronted by James O'Keefe and @OKeefeMedia after uncovering @Disney's discriminatory hiring practices. The situation intensified when one of our American Swiper’s confronts Giordano about having a "tickle" in… pic.twitter.com/5mh7NhUOmz
— James O'Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) June 24, 2024
Related: Senator Tells Disney to Lawyer Up After Leaked Exec Video Claims Company Doesn’t Hire ‘White Men’
In a video released on Monday, the O’Keefe Media Group set up Giordano on a date with another woman from the company. James O’Keefe ambushed Giordano during this second date as he tried to leave a restaurant.
During his questioning, O’Keefe asked Giordano about Disney’s discriminatory hiring practices and Disney’s race-based hiring.
However, these Disney tapes may be illegal. Throughout the videos, it appears that Giordano does not know that he is being taped.
California law makes it illegal to tape someone without their consent. California is a two-party consent state, which means that the videos created by Project Veritas broke California law.
It is legal to record conversations in public space; however, there are limitations as to what the recording can be used for. It cannot be used for. It cannot be used for defamation or harassment, which Giordano can argue happened to him.
Related: Leaked Video Forces Disney Exec Out of Company
The punishment for each incident is a $2,500 fine and up to a year in prison. It appears that Giordano was taped at least twice without his consent.
So, if Giordano did not know he was being taped and it was done without his consent, he would have a lawsuit waiting against O’Keefe and Project Veritas.
Neither Disney CEO Bob Iger nor any representative from The Walt Disney Company has responded to the video and Michael Giordano’s current status with the company. Over the weekend, it was revealed that Giordano took a leave of absence from his position as a Senior Vice President at 20th Century Television.
The fact that this guy who, in fact is journalist selling false med kits not prescribed by official doctors had his way sending secret journalists to disguise as dating app dates, and catfished this guy to earn this information.
Michael Giordano unintentionally whistleblew like… https://t.co/7LXIqY0uGo
— ItsLucasKim (@ItsLucasKim) June 20, 2024
Giordano has since deleted his LinkedIn account, which showed him as a Senior Vice President at 20th Century Television. However, very little evidence exists showing Giordano still working for Disney besides his now-deleted LinkedIn account.
There are articles from 2016 discussing his promotion to Senior Vice President, but nothing else about him is available online. The Walt Disney Company did not purchase 20th Century Fox until 2019.
Given O’Keefe’s propensity for using actors, Giordano may be a disgruntled ex-employee airing his grievances against his former employer. However, without Disney commenting on the video, it is impossible to know for sure.
What do you think of these videos featuring Michael Giordano?