The Lincoln Project issued a statement today distancing itself from founder John Weaver, saying he “led a secret life that was built on a foundation of deception at every level” and that he’s “a predator, a liar, and an abuser”:
The Lincoln Project today released the following statement. pic.twitter.com/k9QkUsiFO5
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) January 31, 2021
And here’s why. . .
The New York Times just published an investigation into his behavior, finding at least 21 men who say Weaver “sent them inappropriate messages, including explicit offers of professional help in exchange for sex.”
So many victims came forward, in fact, that the NYT couldn’t detail them all in one article:
21 men told me John Weaver, a Lincoln Project cofounder, sent them inappropriate messages, including explicit offers of professional help in exchange for sex. 11 of them spoke on the record — far more than I could detail in one article. w/ @dannyhakim https://t.co/agnfQZubW5
— Maggie Astor (@MaggieAstor) January 31, 2021
This is a follow-up on the allegations we told you about earlier this month:
Allegations became public this month in @amconmag and an open letter from @GarrettHerrin, one of the men Weaver messaged. My and @dannyhakim's reporting shows how widespread the harassment was — 21 men came forward within days — and how aggressive it got. https://t.co/agnfQZubW5
— Maggie Astor (@MaggieAstor) January 31, 2021
His behavior, however, was an “open secret”:
One of the most extraordinary things was how much of an open secret this was among the men Weaver commonly targeted — young, gay men interested in politics. Three men told me they'd described the harassment to a friend and the friend guessed it was Weaver. https://t.co/agnfQZubW5
— Maggie Astor (@MaggieAstor) January 31, 2021
The NYT has the receipts, as the kids say:
The harassment was also extremely well documented. Almost all of the 21 men I spoke with were able to provide extensive screenshots. Together they run from 2015-2020. https://t.co/agnfQZubW5
— Maggie Astor (@MaggieAstor) January 31, 2021
One victim was only 14:
The youngest victim I spoke with was just 14 when Weaver started messaging him. https://t.co/agnfQZubW5
— Maggie Astor (@MaggieAstor) January 31, 2021
Weaver says he thought everything was consensual:
In a statement after the allegations were first reported earlier this month, Weaver said he wouldn't return to the Lincoln Project from medical leave. He acknowledged "inappropriate" messages, which he said he thought were consensual at the time. https://t.co/agnfQZubW5
— Maggie Astor (@MaggieAstor) January 31, 2021
Narrator: It was not consensual:
Many of the screenshots, though, show men saying clearly that they didn't want a sexual relationship — and Weaver acting shocked that they would have interpreted his messages that way, saying they'd misunderstood. https://t.co/agnfQZubW5
— Maggie Astor (@MaggieAstor) January 31, 2021
Weaver’s statement, FWIW:
Here is Weaver's statement in response to my questions about the specific allegations in this article. https://t.co/agnfQZubW5 pic.twitter.com/7vKpHbT8i2
— Maggie Astor (@MaggieAstor) January 31, 2021
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