Several leaders of the Never-Trump organization The Lincoln Project have checkered financial histories.
Filings at the Justice Department show John Weaver, co-founder of the organization, registered as a Russian foreign agent last year on behalf of uranium conglomerate TENEX, the New York Post reported on Tuesday. TENEX is owned by the Russian state company Rosatom, which also owns Uranium One, the company that paid former President Bill Clinton $500,000 in speaking fees and millions to the Clinton Foundation.
Last year, Weaver denied receiving any funds from his six-figure deal with TENEX on Twitter, calling it a “mistake.”
“To allow anything to distract from that is a mistake. And I can recognize a mistake when I make it. My attorney has contacted Tenam this morning & informed them,” Weaver wrote. “I must reject this agreement. No funds were transferred, no actions taken. Now, I’ve got to get back to the barricades. Apologies for the momentary distraction.”
I must reject this agreement. No funds were transferred, no actions taken. Now, I’ve got to get back to the barricades. Apologies for the momentary distraction.
— John Weaver (@jwgop) May 16, 2019
Despite his own financial history, Weaver has criticized Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani for his ties to “Putin backed thugs in Ukraine & elsewhere.” Weaver also reportedly has an outstanding federal tax lien of over $313,000 against his home in Austin, Texas, and owns a children’s clothing company that was sued, despite his criticism of President Trump’s failed businesses.
Rick Wilson, a former GOP strategist and a founding member of the Never-Trump group, has a federal tax lien of over $389,000 on a Tallahassee, Florida, home, which his bank moved to foreclose on in 2016, according to IRS documents. Documents show Wilson, who has also blasted Trump for refusing to disclose his tax returns, was also sued by American Express for failing to pay a nearly $26,000, 1-year-old credit card bill.
“It’s very clear that this isn’t about Trump and Republicans,” a Republican source said of the Never-Trump leaders. “It’s about making money to help pay off their massive personal debts.”
Steve Schmidt, another co-founder of the Never-Trump group seeking to unseat the president, was reportedly labeled an “inactive voter,” a title which appears when someone has not voted in two consecutive general elections. Schmidt disputed this record, telling the New York Post that he voted by mail in both 2016 and 2018. He says he registered as independent, or no party affiliation, in 2018.
“The story was sloppy and wrong. Your reporting was lazy and errant. My voting history is below. Yes, I want a correction. Try and do better,” Schmidt tweeted.
.@ebonybowden The story was sloppy and wrong. Your reporting was lazy and errant. My voting history is below. Yes, I want a correction. Try and do better. Thanks!! BTW pro tip. Serious journalists don’t tweet things like “ Going to go out on a limb and say President Trump looks https://t.co/J3fvSBKIjL pic.twitter.com/NT6cAfGQ9t
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) July 21, 2020
Trump has blasted the Lincoln Project founders, calling them “loser types,” after they released a video titled “Mourning in America,” an allusion to former President Ronald Reagan’s positive “Morning in America” slogan.
“They’re all LOSERS, but Abe Lincoln, Republican, is all smiles!” Trump said in a series of tweets.
Presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway echoed the sentiments of the president about her husband’s organization during a Fox News interview.
“They’ve all failed. They never succeeded the way I did as campaign manager, and they never got their candidate where my candidate got. He’s president of the United States,” she said.
