Scoop: Lincoln Project co-founder Steve Schmidt is resigning from the group's board, he told staff o

[MelissaB]

Scoop: Lincoln Project co-founder Steve Schmidt is resigning from the group's board, he told staff on an all-hands call this evening

Link to tweet

Scoop: Lincoln Project co-founder resigns

Lincoln Project co-founder Steve Schmidt is resigning from the group's board amid a series of scandals that has rocked the high-dollar anti-Trump super PAC, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Schmidt, a veteran Republican operative, is the latest and most high-profile departure from the group, which is reeling from revelations that another co-founder, John Weaver, used offers of professional advancement in a series of attempts to solicit sex from young men.

https://www.axios.com/lincoln-project-co-founder-resigns-ad554687-f2d1-4b7c-ac0c-5aa555fb312f.html

[Hekate]

1. Wait. What?!

Oh jeez, now what?

[SaveOurDemocracy]

2. Wonder what's up? No explanation?

[MelissaB]

4. For a summary

check this thread. I've tried to keep it up to date.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215091170

[SaveOurDemocracy]

33. Thank you, MelissaB. 💕 What a mess! 😳

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. I am dismayed at this news. I always respected what he had to say. n/t

[Karadeniz]

5. I googled. Apparently there have been more resignations than his, seemingly mostly related to

Salary, position, etc.

[octoberlib]

24. A bunch of people resigned because they had only signed on for the 2020 election.

Jennifer Horn resigned because they wouldn't give her $40,000 a month.

[dweller]

6. Isn't he a Democrat now ?

or just not a repug?

✌🏻

[a kennedy]

12. Just NOT a repub......

[My Pet Orangutan]

20. Schmidt is a registered Dem

December, 15, 2020
https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/-there-s-now-one-pro-democracy-political-party-steve-schmidt-announces-he-s-a-democrat-97803845597

[a kennedy]

22. Yeeehaaaaa.....

[My Pet Orangutan]

23. He has been sounding out a Senate run against Lee in Utah.

A tough ask.

[a kennedy]

25. Shut up......Really???

I really, really like him on Nichole’s show.

[My Pet Orangutan]

26. Rick Wilson was talking about it on 'The Breakdown' video cast.

Schmidt lives in Utah, and has taken a particular 'shine' to Senator Lee.

[MustLoveBeagles]

16. He's a Democrat now

[MyOwnPeace]

7. A 'fresh' powerful group

that shared a single purpose - defeat LOSER#45 - and they became successful and famous - and now that their primary mission is over, have to figure out "what do we do next?"

With groups formed by a single mission - that is when everybody in the group can have different ideas.

Thanks guys, for the fun - it was a blast!

[dalton99a]

8. Sounds like they'll be history in a few months

[VA_Jill]

9. We will need them

or some group like them, in 2022, against Cruz, Scott, Johnson, et al.

[MelissaB]

14. A group of young Democrats would be nice.

A Dem or group with some $$ could fund them.

[VA_Jill]

31. You're missing the point

We need to retain and attract Republicans, the ones we nave and new ones. Former Republicans are the best at doing that.

[MelissaB]

35. If they have to bring their issues and grift, I'll pass.

I liked what TLP did, but they catered to Democrats, not Republicans. Republicans HATED them.

[VA_Jill]

37. There are still

a lot of people who vote Republican purely out of habit. I know. I live among them. They are the old-fashioned kind of conservatives who may be against some of the things you are for but are still honorable people. The ones here tend to be Mennonite but there are many others. Those people need to be reached. And I don't think TLP catered to Democrats at all. They were going after independents and thinking Republicans. Why else would people like George Conway be part of the project? With all due respect, I think you need to rethink some of your prejudices.

[Funtatlaguy]

10. Since he's now a Dem, wish he'd work for the DNC.

Could help as a researcher.
He knows how Republicans think.

[a kennedy]

13. I don't think he's a Democrat......

[Funtatlaguy]

15. Yes he is. Heard him say he changed his registration.

https://thehill.com/homenews/news/530393-longtime-gop-strategist-steve-schmidt-announces-hes-registering-democrat

[a kennedy]

21. 👍

Great, we sure can use him. I really look forward to him on Nichole’s show.

[Mr. Ected]

11. Strictly a PR move to distance himself from John Weaver

The principals of the Lincoln Project will assuredly reform as another entity. Their battle is no longer against Trump, but rather against the fascist slimeballs he elevated and left in his wake. They are the greatest threat to our democracy in our history and a concerted effort will continue to be needed to counteract their propaganda and counterrealities.

[MelissaB]

17. This could have all been avoided if they had kicked Weaver to the curb and disavowed him

8 months or so ago.

[Mr. Ected]

18. Indeed....but they were embroiled in a fight to save the USA from itself

And any disruptions from within would have been exploited by the Fascist in Chief.

[uponit7771]

27. +1,

[SharonClark]

32. As I recall, Schmidt denied any knowledge of Weaver's behavior until it became public.

[MelissaB]

34. Reporting says this is not the case.

[Dagstead Bumwood]

19. He's going to be on Maher tonight

so I'll be interested to hear what he has to say about all of this.

[misanthrope]

28. It might have something to do with this

Deeper than Weaver's behavior, is this bit from the AP story:

"Since its creation, the Lincoln Project has raised $90 million. But only about a third of the money, roughly $27 million, directly paid for advertisements that aired on broadcast and cable, or appeared online, during the 2020 campaign, according to an analysis of campaign finance disclosures and data from the ad tracking firm Kantar/CMAG.

"That leaves tens of millions of dollars that went toward expenses like production costs, overhead — and exorbitant consulting fees collected by members of the group."

SNIP

"But in many cases it’s difficult to tell how much members of the group were paid. That’s because the Lincoln Project adopted a strategy, much like the Trump campaign they criticized, to mask how much money they earned."

https://apnews.com/article/john-weaver-lincoln-project-crisis-b14be5f06588b8f1d78125d4141394cb

[Sympthsical]

29. And here comes down the house of cards so many want to pretend doesn't exist

Good.

Sexual predation and those who cover for it should have no room in our tent.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

30. Huh.

[Rhiannon12866]

36. Twitter followup:

Link to tweet

[gollygee]

38. This group appears to be falling apart. nt

[OnDoutside]

40. It's a war, and they're evolving. Let's see where they are in a couple of months time.

[OnDoutside]

39. With Steve talking about a run against Mike Lee in Utah, it makes sense to step away from TLP. TLP

is hitting Trump, his enablers and Trumpers REALLY hard, and they in turn hitting TLP hard. It makes sense for Schmidt to step away from this shitfest, and ready himself for the Senate Run.

[MelissaB]

41. Lincoln Project's donation page is no longer working

Link to tweet

[Tarc]

42. Let's not forget who these people are...they may hate Trump, but they're still conservatives

The never-Trumpers, the "concerned" Collins wing, the Insurrectionists, the QIdiots, even gosh-darn nice guy Mittens Romney. The more they rip each other to shreds, the better our future is.