Lincoln Project co-founder Steve Schmidt resigned from the group’s board amid a series of scandals that shook the high-dollar anti-Trump super PAC, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Schmidt, a Republican veteran, is the latest and most striking departure from the group, as evidenced by revelations that another co-founder, John Weaver, used offers of professional advancement in a series of attempts to sex young men ask. .
Background: Schmidt’s resignation comes amid a spate of damaging stories for the Lincoln project.
- The New York Times reported last month on allegations by 21 men that Weaver had sent them unsolicited and sexually charged messages. One was then 14 years old, according to the report.
- Federal law enforcement has allegedly contacted several people about the alleged behavior. According to the Lincoln Project, he hired an external law firm to investigate the case.
- The AP reported that the majority of the $ 90 million raised by the Lincoln project was paid to consulting firms affiliated with the group’s founders and senior staff.
- The group’s official Twitter account on Thursday tweeted screenshots of messages between a former senior staff member and a reporter who wrote a story about the group. Lincoln Project co-founder George Conway suggested the disclosures were possibly illegal.
That series of controversies led to a number of resignations from the group this week.
- Lincoln Project spokesman Kurt Bardella confirmed to Axios that he had also resigned from the group on Friday.
- Nayyera Haq, who presented a video series for the group this week, also thank you on Friday.
- Columnist Tom Nichols said On Friday, he “retired as an unpaid adviser.”