One of the cofounders of the Lincoln Project is being eviscerated on social media over his public spat with Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway. Cofounder Steve Schmidt claimed that he looked out for Conway’s daughter Claudia. Twitter users have quickly pointed out that the group has been accused of turning a blind eye to one of its cofounder’s sexual misconduct with young men and boys.
Conway attacked Schmidt after he told the Hill it was “recklessly stupid” to have people dressed as Unite the Right attendees attend an event for Republican Glenn Youngkin’s ultimately successful Virginia gubernatorial campaign. The Lincoln Project eventually revealed that it was behind the stunt, which was widely condemned. Schmidt left the super PAC’s board in February but remains involved, though he denies having any role in planning the fake protest.
Conway tweeted the article and quipped, “He took the millions; can’t take the heat.”
The anti-Trump Lincoln Project, founded by current and former Republicans, has raked in more than $100 million to date.
Schmidt fired back at Conway in a six-part Twitter thread. In the thread, he claimed that “the Lincoln Project was looking out for” Claudia Conway. Schmidt said that his only direct order to the staff was when he told them anyone who followed the younger Conway or made comments about her would be “fired on the spot.”
Claudia Conway gained a significant social media following for criticizing former President Donald Trump and her mother for working for him.
Schmidt also brought up the teen’s accusations that her parents abused her. The Conways haven’t commented on their daughter’s accusations.
“I did that to protect an abused kid, a kid abused by you,” he tweeted. “At least someone in the Lincoln Project was looking out for her.” (George Conway is also a cofounder of the group. He’s also departed.)
It didn’t take long for people to latch onto Schmidt’s claim that the Lincoln Project was looking out for an allegedly abused child. The project has been accused of turning a blind eye to a cofounder’s abuse. It denies any wrongdoing.
Earlier this year, the Lincoln Project was embroiled in a scandal over allegations that cofounder John Weaver sent unwanted, sexually explicit messages to young men and boys. When the accusations became public, Weaver admitted to sending “inappropriate” messages and apologized “to the men I made uncomfortable.”
Lincoln Project members condemned Weaver, who’d previously departed the group, and denied knowledge of his misconduct. Reports later emerged that the super PAC’s top brass had known about the allegations against Weaver for months before it became public.
The accusations resurfaced after Weaver claimed to have protected Claudia Conway.
Jay Caruso, editor of the Washington Examiner, quote tweeted Schmidt and said, “So @KellyannePolls and @gtconway3d made your skin crawl. But you knowing what was going on with John Weaver didn’t seem to bother you until the news went public.”
Others were more flippant in their criticism.
“Yeah we all know Lincoln Project has special skills at finding kids for abuse,” tweeted one person.
Similar commentary rolled in.
Schmidt vociferously defended himself from these criticisms. He tweeted that no Lincoln Project employee accused Weaver of harassment and claimed the scandal “was all a giant smear campaign.”
Conway has not commented further on the matter.
