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NEW YORK (AP) – The Lincoln Project, one of the best-known and best-funded organizations in the so-called Never Trump movement, announced Thursday evening its intention to launch an external investigation to examine the tenure of a co- founder accused of sexual harassment.
The announcement came hours after the Associated Press report that members of the organization’s leadership were informed in writing and by subsequent phone calls of at least 10 specific allegations of sexual harassment against co-founder John Weaver, including two involving Lincoln Project employees. The revelations raised questions about Project Lincoln’s statement last month that it was “shocked” when charges surfaced publicly this year.
In a statement released Thursday evening, the organization said its board of directors has decided to retain “a top-notch outside professional” to review Weaver’s mandate “to establish both accountability and best practices. for the Lincoln project ”.
The organization also encouraged anyone bound by a nondisclosure agreement to contact Project Lincoln “for release.”
The situation threatens the stature not only of Project Lincoln, but also of the broader coalition of establishment-oriented Republican groups working to excise Trump from the party.
Lincoln Project co-founder Steve Schmidt insisted Wednesday night that he and the rest of the group’s management were not aware of any internal allegations of wrongdoing involving Weaver.
“Project Lincoln believes that members of our movement and the victims of John Weaver’s despicable and deceptive behavior owe the facts, and you will get them,” the organization said in a statement written Thursday night. “John Weaver has betrayed us all and you deserve the facts to be presented independently through a transparent process.”
Weaver declined to comment on the PA’s earlier story, but in a statement released late last month to Axios, he generally admitted his misconduct and apologized.
“To the men whom I made uncomfortable through my messages which I considered to be consensual mutual conversations at the time: I am very sorry,” he wrote. “They were inappropriate and it was because of my failures that this discomfort was caused to you.”
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