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://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/31/us/politics/john-weaver-lincoln-project-harassment.html
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://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/31/us/politics/john-weaver-lincoln-project-harassment.html
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://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/31/us/politics/john-weaver-lincoln-project-harassment.html
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://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/31/us/politics/john-weaver-lincoln-project-harassment.html
The youngest victim I spoke with was just 14 when Weaver started messaging him. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/31/us/politics/john-weaver-lincoln-project-harassment.html
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://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/31/us/politics/john-weaver-lincoln-project-harassment.html
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://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/31/us/politics/john-weaver-lincoln-project-harassment.html
Here is Weaver's statement in response to my questions about the specific allegations in this article. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/31/us/politics/john-weaver-lincoln-project-harassment.html