The Lincoln Project’s turmoil deepens amid sex scandal and infighting
- The organisation has seen an exodus of its leading figures after investigative reports and allegations of abusive behaviour
- The group, which was made up of current and ex-Republican strategists who were opposed to Trump, made a splash during the 2020 election
This story is published in a content partnership with POLITICO. It was originally reported by Alex Isenstadt on politico.com on February 12, 2021.
Steve Schmidt, a prominent political strategist and one of the original co-founders of the organisation, on Friday evening became the latest in a string of departures from the group. In a lengthy statement, Schmidt said he was “incandescently angry” about allegations that former Lincoln Project leader John Weaver sent sexually explicit text messages to young men.
“I detest John Weaver in a way I can’t articulate,” wrote Schmidt, who in the statement divulged his own experiences of being molested when he was young. “My heart breaks that young men felt unseen and unheard in an organisation that I started. I am ashamed of it.”
Also announcing their departures on Friday were spokesman Kurt Bardella and Nayyera Haq, who had been hosting an online programme for the organisation. Tom Nichols, a foreign affairs columnist and professor, announced on Twitter that he was stepping down as an unpaid adviser. Jennifer Horn, a senior figure in the organisation, resigned earlier in the month over the Lincoln Project’s handling of the Weaver accusations.
Ron Steslow and Mike Madrid, two other leaders, left in December. George Conway, a former Lincoln Project official and the husband of ex-Trump counsellor Kellyanne Conway, has also stepped away from the outfit.