Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
The Lincoln Project's Implosion Has Derailed Its Founders' Plan for a Media Empire
If the meteoric rise of the Lincoln Project—a collection of longtime Republican operatives who branded themselves Never-Trumpers—seemed to happen overnight, the organization’s downfall has been just as dramatic. In the course of a week, damning report after damning report has come out about the group: that cofounder John Weaver allegedly sexually harassed more than 20 young men (allegations he acknowledged in an apology); that it funneled more than $50 million of the roughly $90 million it raised into firms with ties to its members; that senior members of the independent legal team hired by the Lincoln Project to perform a “comprehensive review” of its “operations and culture” are in fact donors to the super PAC themselves. That executives at the organization—including Steve Schmidt—may have known about allegations against Weaver before they were made public. (Schmidt has denied prior knowledge of the allegations. In a statement, the Lincoln Project said it had been “betrayed and deceived” by Weaver.) If true, the stories, which have blasted through the group with bombshell force, represent a spectacular and horrific denouement.
In response, many of the Lincoln Project’s members have fallen back on their favorite mantra: Donald Trump is worse. “You know who would be the happiest man in the world if he knew he’d never have to deal with [Lincoln Project] again? Donald Trump,” tweeted cofounder Stuart Stevens last week. “Pick a side. I’m with [Lincoln Project].” He then urged readers to stand with the group. “Most effective Super PAC in US history,” Stevens wrote. (In fact, though the Lincoln Project’s viral attack ads racked up millions of views, the videos seemingly didn’t do much to accomplish their stated goal of swaying the GOP electorate. Trump received a larger share of the Republican vote nationally in 2020 than he did in 2016.) Others appeared resigned. “Just shut it down already,” wrote Kurt Bardella, who departed from his position as a senior adviser amid the whirlwind of bad press. George Conway, another since-departed cofounder, likewise tweeted that, at this point, shuttering the PAC is the “right” move. On Thursday, the Lincoln Project announced the formation of a “transition advisory committee” that will support the internal investigation of Weaver, as well as a “Stewardship Report” to outline its finances.
As the organization flounders, its plans for the future have been thrown into doubt. The group’s stars had planned to work for Israeli prime minister hopeful Gideon Sa’ar in his bid against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an election that will be held in March. Sa’ar’s campaign had brought on the Lincoln Project's Schmidt, Reed Galen, Stevens, and Rick Wilson a few weeks ago in the hopes that the group’s aggressive attack ads would work against Netanyahu, but their relationship has since been dissolved, according to a Tuesday report in the Jerusalem Post. Just before the 2020 election, Axios reported that the Lincoln Project had potential plans for a sprawling media organization—Lincoln Media—and had been approached by “several media and entertainment companies and podcast platforms looking to launch franchises from its brand.” Those talks reportedly included interest from a TV studio in developing a fiction series; queries from networks about streaming the Lincoln Project’s proprietary show, LPTV; and potentially creating a nonfiction film. The organization had planned to launch a revamped version of its podcast, telling Axios it would be “unveiling new episodes imminently” and expanding its LPTV programming “in the coming weeks.” Those plans are now, presumably, in limbo.
The Lincoln Project’s founders are feeling the fallout on an individual level too. While it failed in its stated mission, the organization succeeded in boosting the media profiles and lining the pockets of its star members, which, some critics argue, may have been its real goal all along. Schmidt, who is alleged to have known about the allegations against Weaver as early as last March according to The 19th, but has claimed that he became aware of them when they were made public in January, used the group’s success to become a staple MSNBC contributor; he appeared on former top Bush aide Nicolle Wallace’s show, Deadline: White House, at least 34 times since the group’s launch. Despite being introduced as an MSNBC contributor as recently as last weekend, when he was a guest on Bill Maher’s talk show, and appearing on the network to discuss Trump’s acquittal, a source familiar with Schmidt’s standing confirmed that he is no longer a contributor.
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/02/lincoln-projects-derailed-plan-for-media-empire
30 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
Nah, not really. 
Republicans being Republicans because we all know a leopard can't change it's spots.
and be surrounded by 60 million loyal Republicans who'd make sure they got away with it.
Their alliance with our side, which has incredibly higher standards and apparently absolutely no fellowship where they're concerned, brought them down. Rather spectacularly considering the big crime was a member privately coming on to a bunch of young staffers, and purportedly making them feel a relationship would benefit their careers. If the latter was true, it was despicable. But in today's world the allegation is the crime, no need for anyone to prove it true or have damage to career, and this has been far, far, far, incredibly far, more damaging than Trump's rape(s) or Gym Jordan's depraved betrayal of students have ever been and apparently could ever be.
Just wish I had a twenty for every guy who hit on me at work and took refusal decently... Wouldn't exactly be rich, but it'd buy something nice. Oh, forgot: OH, the trauma!!! That too of course. 
