The Lincoln Project, an anti-Donald Trump political organization, experienced a series of resignations on Friday following reports regarding the conduct of a co-founder and the management of its finances. Steve Schmidt, a co-founder and prominent strategist, was among those who departed the group. The exits occurred after investigative reports detailed allegations of sexual harassment against former leader John Weaver and questions regarding how the organization distributed its $87 million in donations.
The organization was established by current and former Republican strategists to oppose Donald Trump and his allies through political advertising during the 2020 election. While the group gained significant attention and funding, it faced internal turmoil starting in late 2020 and early 2021. The New York Times reported on Jan. 31 that more than 20 men accused John Weaver, a former strategist for Sen. John McCain, of sexual harassment via online messages. Weaver has since acknowledged sending inappropriate messages.
Additional departures on Friday included senior adviser Kurt Bardella, foreign affairs columnist Tom Nichols, and host Nayyera Haq. These followed the earlier resignation of senior figure Jennifer Horn, who left due to the group's handling of the Weaver allegations. Furthermore, the Associated Press reported on Thursday that more than half of the organization’s $87 million in funding was directed to consulting firms controlled by Lincoln Project officials. The group also faced criticism for briefly posting private messages between Horn and a reporter on its official Twitter account.
Donors and the general public are affected by the reporting on the organization's financial structure. According to the Associated Press, more than $43.5 million was directed to firms controlled by the project's own leaders. For individual donors, this means a significant portion of their contributions—potentially more than 50 cents of every dollar—was used for internal consulting rather than direct media placement or external services. This disclosure sets a precedent for how political organizations disclose internal conflicts of interest and how they manage the distribution of large-scale grassroots and institutional funding.
The situation also establishes a precedent for how political organizations handle internal misconduct and privacy. The use of the organization’s social media to post private messages of a former colleague drew public apology from Schmidt, who accepted responsibility for what he called a "misjudgment." A "best-in-class" outside professional has been retained by the Lincoln Project to review Weaver’s tenure. The results of this review and any potential further financial disclosures will determine the organization's legal and political standing as it moves forward without several of its founding members.