Anti-Trump group The Lincoln Project issued a scathing statement on Sunday, distancing itself from co-founder John Weaver’s “deplorable and predatory behavior” after a report from the New York Times detailed history of alleged predatory behavior. described.
The Lincoln Project disavowed its co-founder after a Times report included interviews with 21 men who accused Weaver of “sending unsolicited and sexually provocative messages to young men online, often while suggesting that he might help them find work in politics. , including an alleged victim. who was only 14 years old.
The Lincoln Project issued a damning statement on Sunday, distancing itself from the “regrettable and predatory behavior” of co-founder John Weaver after a bombing in the New York Times.
LINCOLN PROJECT CO-FOUNDER JOHN WEAVER ADMITS ‘IMPROPER’ MESSAGES SENT TO MEN: REPORT
“John Weaver lived a secret life built on a foundation of deception on every level. He is a predator, a liar and an abuser,” wrote the Lincoln Project. “We express our deepest condolences to those who were the target of his regrettable and predatory behavior. We are disgusted and resent that anyone in a position of power and trust would use it for these means.”
The Lincoln Project was formed by veteran Republican agents who openly despised President Trump and have since been embraced by the left. Critics and media watchdogs immediately began to ask who knew about Weaver’s behavior and how long they knew about it, but the group said his actions are worse than anything they could have imagined.
“The totality of his deceptions is beyond what we could ever have imagined and we are absolutely shocked and sick of it,” the statement said. “Like so many, we have been betrayed and cheated by John Weaver. We are unutterably grateful that John Weaver was never in the physical presence of any member of The Lincoln Project.”
Weaver, a veteran GOP agent and former assistant to prominent Republicans such as former Ohio Governor John Kasich and the late Senator John McCain, reportedly asked a 14-year-old boy about ‘about his body while still in high school and sent “more targeted” questions when he turned 18.
“These messages from Mr. Weaver … did not lead to physical encounters, except in one mutually agreed case, and none of the men accused Mr. Weaver of unlawful conduct. Many of them described feeling attacked by an influential elderly man in the field. in which they wanted to work, and in the belief that they should deal with his repeated posts or else they would miss out on a professional opportunity, ”the Times reported.
THE LINCOLN PROJECT PRINTED AS ‘GRIFTERS’ AFTER REPORT FOUNDERS SEARCH FOR THE LAUNCH OF MEDIA EMPIRE
Weaver sent open sexual requests to at least 10 of the men and, in the most explicit messages, offered professional and personal help in return for sex, the Times continued, referring to reports discussed by the newspaper.
“Interviews with the 21 young men and a review of screenshots of dozens of messages he has sent to them over the past five years show that in many cases his online behavior was aggressive and undesirable,” reported the Times.
George Conway, who co-founded The Lincoln Project with Weaver, spoke about the situation during a performance on MSNBC on Monday.
“It’s awful and awful and awful and inscrutable, me, I didn’t know John very well. I honestly only spoke to him on the phone a few times in the beginning of the Lincoln Project. It’s almost, I don’t even know. what to say. It’s just awful, “Conway said.” To be honest, I’m speechless. “
THE LINCOLN PROJECT CALL FOR REPEATED PLAGIARIZATION OF OTHER PEOPLE TWEETS
Last month, author Ryan James Girdusky sent a cryptic tweet claiming that one of the founders of The Lincoln Project was “offering jobs to young men in exchange for sex.” Girdusky’s claim was quickly answered with responses from others on Twitter who made similar unproven claims, with many of them speculating that the first tweet referred to Weaver.
Shortly afterwards, Weaver admitted in a statement published by Axios that he was “inappropriate.”
“For the men who made me uncomfortable with my messages that I considered back-to-back conversations at the time, I’m really sorry,” Weaver said in a statement published by the outlet. “They were inappropriate and it was because of my shortcomings that you were made to feel this inconvenience.
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“The truth is, I’m gay,” added Weaver. ‘And that I have a wife and two children that I love. My inability to reconcile those two truths has led to this sore spot. ‘
In a statement to the Times, Weaver echoed his comments to Axios: “I am so discouraged and sad that I may have caused someone discomfort in what I thought was mutual consensus at the time. Living a deeply trapped life, my pain for To cause others. For that I am sincerely sorry for these men and everyone and for having abandoned so many people. “
Fox News’ Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report