'Are You Top, Bottom, Versa?' – Accusers of Lincoln Project's John Weaver Go Public with His Inappropriate Messages

The ongoing scandal involving Lincoln Project co-founder John Weaver, 61, ratcheted up this week with the FBI becoming involved in investigating claims that he "sexually harassed young men and interns – as six former staffers are demanding to be released from non-disclosure agreements they signed so they can publicly talk about the claims," writes the Daily Mail.

This news came after a two of men Weaver was said to have sent inappropriate messages went public with tweets and emails that supported their accusations, New York Magazine reports.

Inside the conservative political action committee, which was created as an anti-Trump forum, an external review is being pursued in the matter. They also claim: "Recently published stories about the Lincoln Project are filled with inaccuracies, incorrect information, and reliant exclusively on anonymous sources," the Guardian writes.

The group wrote that they are hiring "a best-in-class outside professional to review Mr Weaver's tenure with the organisation and to establish both accountability and best practices going forward."

The Lincoln Project came about in 2020 by a group of Never Trump conservatives, including such marquee names as Karl Rove's protegee Steve Schmidt, John McCain campaign veteran Reed Galen, Republican strategist Rick Wilson, and Republican super-lawyer George Conway, husband of Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway. The super-PAC raised $87 million in the 2020 election cycle, according to Federal Election Commission records, which gave them the capital to make a series of stinging attack ads against the former president.

One of the men who came forward to New York Magazine is Alex Johnson, who was a senior at the University of Texas two years ago when he first had contact with Weaver, who was living in Texas at the time. "I just didn't really think anything of it at first," Johnson told Intelligencer. "But then, you know, his intentions became clear." Their conversations began with politics, but soon veered at Weaver's urging into discussing Johnson's dating habits and sexual interests.

"You interested in getting together? working together? etc?...," Weaver wrote in December 2018, according to a message Johnson shared with Intelligencer. "I want to see you," Weaver wrote four days later. When the Lincoln Project came into being, Weaver reached out to Johnson again in April 2020. "Would like to put you in touch with some of our folks," Weaver wrote to Johnson on April 23, suggesting he come be an intern.

"Fifteen minutes later, he added: 'On [your] walk, think about worshipping a big cock and having yours worshipped and you rimmed till you beg!,'" New York Magazine reports.

Phone conversations about the effectiveness of the Lincoln Project's ads dissolved into Weaver asking personally intrusive questions. "We were talking about the Lincoln Project, and maybe getting me involved, and of course I think that's awesome. I'm like, 'Oh, yeah, that would be great!'" Johnson said. "Then he asked me: 'When's the last time you jacked off?'"

Johnson attempted to avoid Weaver after that, but did take the internship in July 2020 that allowed him to work from home, Even then, Weaver continued to text him. "Are you top, bottom, versa?" he wrote in one message shortly after Johnson started.

"His messages never stopped," Johnson said. "And I would play along, just to be nice. Because I knew, I mean, he's important. Like he has the strings. And we operate in the same kind of political culture of being 'Never Trumpers.'"

He didn't feel comfortable to report Weaver fearing retribution. "Oh my gosh, if I say something wrong, they're gonna let me go or get rid of me,'" Johnson said.

Another young man who came forward is Charlie Stephens, a 19-year-old rising sophomore at Louisiana State University, who was contacted by Weaver in June. "Weaver asked him if he or any of his 'peers' might be interested in an internship 'to help kick the shit out of Trump and against Senate Republican incumbents,' according to Twitter direct messages Stephens shared," New York Magazine reports. "Stephens said he was interested, and Weaver responded that he'd be 'perfect.' A week later, Stephens told Weaver he formally applied to the role. 'You are a fucking stud!' Weaver said. When Stephens demurred, saying that was 'quite the compliment,' Weaver responded, 'Take it! Hell, you may very well be ;).' Stephens was hired in June to work at a company affiliated with The Lincoln Project.

"Former employees faulted the Lincoln Project for continuing to hire the interns recommended by Weaver after receiving a warning he would dangle job opportunities to potential victims," NY Magazine adds. One former employee told the mag: "It's just enraging to know that they were enabling and they perpetuated this kind of behavior. And didn't take action until it just came out. There was knowledge of Weaver and his history, and yet there were people directly brought on who were recommended by him, so I still don't know what to say why that was the case."

In August, Weaver took a medical leave of absence from the Lincoln Project citing cardiac problems, but according to a former employee was thought to be because of his inappropriate behavior, by then known by many in the company. In September the company moved to a COVID-free pod in Park City, Utah to stay in through the election and Weaver's behavior came up repeatedly as a topic of discussion, writes New York Magazine. "One person remembers Schmidt and co-founder Rick Wilson telling people Weaver was 'depraved' and 'twisted' and that they wouldn't want to know the truth about him. 'The Weaver stuff is being taken care of,' Schmidt said, according to another. Wilson told Intelligencer this account was 'untrue,' and when asked, Schmidt said it was 'not true.'"

Weaver returned to the Lincoln Project in October, which surprised many former employees, and he communicated with Johnson again, asking if he was visiting DC with his boyfriend, called "Aggie boy."

Accusations against Weaver first became public in conservative media in January, and were later picked up by mainstream media such as The New York Times, which reported that some 21 men, one as young as 14, received inappropriate messages from Weaver.

Weaver went public to Axios on January 15 acknowledging he was gay and apologizing to the young men he sent inappropriate messages to. "To the men I made uncomfortable through my messages that I viewed as consensual mutual conversations at the time: I am truly sorry. They were inappropriate and it was because of my failings that this discomfort was brought on you," Weaver said.

"The truth is that I'm gay," he added. "And that I have a wife and two kids who I love. My inability to reconcile those two truths has led to this agonizing place."