Lincoln Project ‘disgusted and outraged’ by the ‘secret life’ of co-founder John Weaver

The Lincoln Project condemned its co-founder John Weaver in an official statement released Sunday, after a New York Times report released nearly two dozen testimonies accusing the Republican political strategist of sexual harassment dating back several years.

Prior to co-founding the Lincoln Project, a political action committee made up of former and current Republicans who sought to prevent Donald Trump from remaining in office during the 2020 election season, Weaver served as an advisor to former presidential candidates John McCain and John Kasich during their respective campaigns.

“John Weaver has led a secret life based on deception on all levels. He is a predator, a liar and an abuser. We extend our deepest condolences to those who have been targeted by his deplorable and predatory behavior,” Lincoln Project said Sunday declaration. “We are disgusted and scandalized that someone in a position of power and confidence is using it for these means.”

“The totality of his deceptions exceeds anything any of us could have imagined and we are absolutely shocked and disgusted,” the statement continued. “Like so many others, we have been betrayed and deceived by John Weaver. We are grateful beyond words that John Weaver is not at any time in the physical presence of a member of the Lincoln Project.”

The Times The article details the sexual misconduct allegations of 21 men, each of whom allegedly received unsolicited messages from Weaver, via text or other digital interfaces, containing provocative or explicitly sexual advances. Some of the men were teenagers when the alleged harassment took place, and in several cases, Weaver’s sexual proposals offered career opportunities in return. The newspaper reviewed the accusers’ correspondence with Weaver before releasing Sunday’s report.

Charges of sexual harassment against Weaver first came to light earlier this month, when people believed to have been victims of his misconduct came forward in two separate written accounts – one posted by The American Conservative magazine and a second released independently on Twitter. At the time, Weaver apologized for his “inappropriate” behavior, but described his interactions with the men involved as “consensual mutual conversations.” He also confirmed his decision not to return to Project Lincoln, following a medical leave taken last summer, in a statement shared with Axios.

People in leadership positions at the Lincoln Project told the Times that they were aware of possible extramarital affairs on Weaver’s part before now, but believed them to be consensual. A spokesperson for Kasich, who hired Weaver to act as chief strategist for his 2016 presidential campaign, called the sexual harassment allegations unexpected in a statement responding to Sunday’s report. The former governor of Ohio said his team was “extremely disappointed”.

“These allegations took us by surprise as we had seen no evidence of this behavior while he was working with us,” read the statement, obtained by the Cincinnati Inquire. “While [Weaver] has been out of our organization for some time, we are extremely disappointed with what we have learned. “

Newsweek contacted Project Lincoln for more information and comment, but did not receive a response in time for publication. This story will be updated with any response.