The Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump group that has been mired in controversy since its formation, routed millions of dollars this election cycle to companies owned by its leaders, according to federal records.
Documents filed with the Federal Election Commission show that, over the last year, the Lincoln Project paid around $7 million to consulting firms led by senior Lincoln Project operatives. The group, which has been dogged by self-dealing allegations and for its handling of sexual harassment allegations against Lincoln Project co-founder John Weaver, spent $4 million on ads opposing President-elect Donald Trump and supporting Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 election.
“A group of people pretending to be conservatives 10 years ago set up a grift operation mostly funded by lifelong Democrats in order to attack conservatives,” said Wade Miller, executive director of the Center for Renewing America, a conservative think tank. “If you blindly looked at their public communications, you’d think they were Black Lives Matter.”
The full accounting of the Lincoln Project’s expenses, made public in its latest campaign finance report, illustrates how the Never Trump group has long rewarded its leaders with donor money from wealthy Democrats, corporations, and left-wing philanthropists aligned with President Joe Biden’s agenda. The Lincoln Project was founded in 2019 by former GOP political strategists, including Weaver, Steve Schmidt, and Rick Wilson, as well as attorney George Conway.
But the Lincoln Project, which did not respond to a request for comment, has been anything but smooth sailing. Conway, who left the group, said in 2021 it should be shut down over alleged financial mismanagement. That year, almost two dozen men accused Weaver of online harassment. Now, the Lincoln Project appears to be squarely in political no man’s land — an electorally ineffective resistance coalition that lacks a clearcut identity other than its disdain for the president-elect.
Dubbed in Esquire one day after the election as “the most useless people in America,” the Lincoln Project raised $15.5 million and burned through $16.2 million this year. The organization limped out of this cycle with more than $630,000 in unpaid invoices, largely in connection to limited liability corporations tied to Lincoln Project personnel, records show.
Since last January, the Lincoln Project has paid $2.1 million to Lever Communications, the media agency of its senior adviser, Joe Trippi. The funds were earmarked for digital ads and other consulting services.
In that timeframe, the Lincoln Project also dished out $1.5 million to Third Act Media, which counts Lincoln Project creative adviser Ben Howe as a staff member.
There was $934,000 from the Lincoln Project’s war chest set aside for Wilson’s Intrepid Media for “political strategy consulting,” “strategic consulting,” “equipment,” and “travel,” according to records. Summit Strategic, and the firm’s leader, Lincoln Project co-founder Reed Galen, scooped up $758,500 from the Lincoln Project.
Lincoln Project adviser Stuart Stevens’s Message Mountain firm came away this election with $535,000 for “political strategy consulting,” according to financial disclosures. Lincoln Project senior adviser Trygve Olseon’s Viking Strategies was paid $435,000, largely for “communications consulting,” while another senior PAC adviser, Jeff Timmer, saw $387,000 paid to Two Rivers Public Affairs — in which Timmer is a partner.
The Never Trump PAC also paid almost $392,000 to former Lincoln Project adviser Tara Setmayer’s Veracity Reigns firm, records show. Setmayer is the co-founder of a new anti-Trump PAC called the Seneca Project, which spent just around $500,000 this election.
In turn, the Seneca Project paid tens of thousands of dollars this year to Setmayer’s firm for “general campaign consulting,” “fundraising consulting,” and office expenses. The Seneca Project insists it is not affiliated with the Lincoln Project.
“One easy path to financial security seems to be to carry water for the Dengist communists on the Left if you are willing to cast aside your dignity and honor for it,” added Miller, the Center for Renewing America executive director.
Ahead of the second Trump administration, the Lincoln Project’s Wilson is reportedly helping to advise a left-wing opposition research group targeting X owner Elon Musk and the Murdoch family. Dubbed the Two Plus Two Coalition, the dark money group is asking donors for a minimum of $1 million and is seeking a budget of $15 million, according to the New York Times.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Despite its troubles, the Lincoln Project hopes that donors will continue to keep its lights on as Trump takes the White House.
“The fight goes on,” the group insists on an active fundraising page. “We can’t let up. We have to stay vigilant. We have to hold Trump accountable.”
This article was originally published at www.washingtonexaminer.com
