{"id":2543581,"date":"2026-01-19T12:28:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T17:28:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lincoln-project-continues-to-use-donors-to-enrich-leaders\/"},"modified":"2026-01-19T12:29:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T17:29:14","slug":"lincoln-project-continues-to-use-donors-to-enrich-leaders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lincoln-project-continues-to-use-donors-to-enrich-leaders\/","title":{"rendered":"Lincoln Project continues to use donors to enrich leaders"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Flincoln-project-continues-to-use-donors-to-enrich-leaders%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2543581&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Lincoln Project, founded by anti\u2011Trump former Republicans, <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >continued directing significant donor money<\/a> to firms owned by its leaders after failing to stop Donald trump in 2024. Campaign finance records show the committee spent about $4.9 million between Nov. 6, 2024, and June 30, 2025, with roughly $1.5 million going to companies tied to Lincoln Project figures. Top recipients included Third Act Media (about $460,000), linked to Benjamin Howe, who had been fired by the group in 2020 over crude social\u2011media posts but appears to have worked with them again. Rick Wilson&#8217;s Intrepid Media received more than $230,000, and his son earned about $47,000 in seven months.Other leadership\u2011owned firms &#8211; belonging to Joe Trippi, Stuart Stevens, Jeff timmer, and Trygve Olson &#8211; also received six\u2011figure sums; Timmer serves as the group&#8217;s COO. Meanwhile,co\u2011founder Steve Schmidt is advocating for a Save America Movement campaign to raise $100 million to target Republican lawmakers,tho SAM would not say whether it would use firms owned by its leaders. The Lincoln Project has faced questions about self\u2011dealing and did not respond to requests for comment.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">The Lincoln Project continues to enrich leaders as its co-founder wants $100 million more<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1908035\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>After failing to prevent Donald Trump from winning the presidency for the second time in 2024, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/after-taking-millions-from-corporate-pacs-maloney-wants-big-corporate-money-out-of-politics\/\" title=\"After Taking Millions from Corporate PACs, Maloney Wants \u2018Big Corporate Money Out of Politics\u2019\">campaign finance records show<\/a> that the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/lincoln-project\/\">Lincoln Project<\/a> &mdash; a political committee founded by anti-Trump former Republicans &mdash; continued to route hundreds of thousands of dollars from its donors into firms owned by its leaders.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Now, as the Lincoln Project grapples with its reputation for self-dealing, Steve Schmidt, one of the organization&rsquo;s co-founders, is <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3910378\/anti-trump-save-america-movement-100-million-midterm-races\/\">pushing <\/a>the so-called Save America Movement &mdash; a campaign seeking to raise $100 million to defeat key Republican members of Congress in the midterm elections.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4423792\/joe-concha-says-not-time-be-minnesotan-right-now-amid-probes-lawmakers\/\">Joe Concha says it&rsquo;s &lsquo;&#8203;&#8203;not a good time to be a Minnesotan right now&rsquo; amid inquiries into lawmakers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4423848\/musk-donates-10-million-pro-trump-kentucky-senate-candidate-nate-morris-succeed-mcconnell\/\">Musk donates $10 million to pro-Trump Kentucky Senate candidate vying to succeed McConnell<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4422326\/peggy-flanagan-school-board-record-undercut-claims-bitter-minnesota-sen-primary\/\">Peggy Flanagan&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/peggy-flanagans-school-board-record-undercuts-claims-in-bitter-senate-primary\/\" title=\"Peggy Flanagan\u2019s school board record undercuts claims in bitter Senate primary\">school board record undercuts claims<\/a> in bitter Minnesota Senate primary<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>SAM, notably, would not answer questions on whether it would contract with firms owned by Schmidt or other members of its leadership team when reached by the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The Lincoln Project&rsquo;s history of self-dealing, however, is not in question.<\/p>\n<p>Of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1ywEL1_wXnCHpa9lTUgeMxuCdhyndwJeqnn6uOHBBVaM\/edit?usp=sharing\">$4.9 million<\/a> spent by the committee between Nov. 6, 2024, the day after the presidential election, and June 30, 2025, the most recent date for which data are available, roughly <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1cuwh6CpKI7v-XuXVDwdnB7aOPchnEDrENR8WDCpUcUw\/edit?usp=sharing\">$1.5 million<\/a> went to firms where Lincoln Project leaders have ownership stakes, according to a <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>review of campaign finance filings.<\/p>\n<p>Taking in the most money among these firms, at roughly $460,000, was Third Act Media, a company in which North Carolina business records <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1_88335004_9387e169c8a74077ae9b9c084cc1b6d9.pdf\">list <\/a>Benjamin Howe as being one of two people with ownership stakes. Howe was identified as the Lincoln Project&rsquo;s senior creative director in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=pTNedzry3AQ\">September 2024 podcast <\/a>produced by the organization.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Notably, the Lincoln Project <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/19thnews.org\/2020\/07\/lincoln-project-video-editor-is-out-over-crude-tweets-about-female-anatomy\/\">fired <\/a>Howe in 2020 after old social media posts resurfaced of him using the words &ldquo;vagina&rdquo; and &ldquo;twat&rdquo; as insults, sparking outrage from women&rsquo;s rights activists.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>While Howe&rsquo;s dismissal garnered widespread legacy media coverage in 2020, his apparent rehiring as of 2024 has not attracted as much attention. Howe and the Lincoln Project have both downplayed this arrangement, with the former not listing the organization on his LinkedIn profile and the latter not listing Howe as a staff member on its website. A 2024 podcast revealed that Howe and Lincoln Project co-founder Rick Wilson are longtime friends.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Wilson himself is still profiting off of the contributions of the Lincoln Project&rsquo;s donors.<\/p>\n<p>Intrepid Media, which Florida state business records <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GetDocument.pdf\">identify<\/a> Wilson as its CEO, received more than $230,000 in payments from the Lincoln Project after the 2024 election, according to campaign finance records. Wilson&rsquo;s son, Andrew, also received a generous salary thanks to the Lincoln Project&rsquo;s donors, taking in over $47,000 for just seven months of work.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Steve Schmidt, then an adviser to Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks to reporters. (AP Photo\/Mary Altaffer)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As far as Schmidt is concerned, a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/john-weaver-lincoln-project-crisis-b14be5f06588b8f1d78125d4141394cb\">2021 <em>Associated Press<\/em> investigation<\/a> found that his compensation was not publicly disclosed, noting that he was likely paid with donor dollars through a third-party consulting firm. Schmidt left the Lincoln Project later that year amid fallout from the group&rsquo;s handling of sexual assault allegations against fellow co-founder John Weaver.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3271137\/kamala-harris-future-forward-money-firms-owned-founders\/\"><strong>PRO-HARRIS DARK MONEY GROUP SHOVELED MORE THAN HALF A MILLION DOLLARS TO FIRMS OWNED BY ITS FOUNDERS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Other Lincoln Project companies owned by the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/lincolnproject.us\/leadership\/\">Lincoln Project&rsquo;s leadership team<\/a> that saw cash directed to them by the political committee following the 2024 election included Joe Trippi&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/01\/localimages\/Screenshot-2026-01-16-171834.png\">Lever Communications<\/a>, Stuart Stevens&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/dd244f8d-fa90-4778-ad00-c3b6e378f16b.pdf\">Message Mountain Productions<\/a>, Jeff Timmer&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jeff-timmer-2919965\/\">Two Rivers Public Affairs<\/a>, and Trygve Olson&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/lincolnproject.us\/bios\/trygve-olson\/\">Viking Strategies<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Timmer is the Lincoln Project&rsquo;s chief operating officer, while the other three men are senior advisers to the organization. All four of their firms raked in well over $100,000 from the organization.<\/p>\n<p>The Lincoln Project did not respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lincoln Project enriches leaders; cofounder seeks $100M<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":894,"featured_media":2543582,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Rick-Wilson-Lincoln-Project-scaled-e1768842329998.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[33926,71413,71414,35025,40629],"class_list":["post-2543581","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-campaign-finance","tag-donor-misuse","tag-fundraising-scandal","tag-lincoln-project","tag-political-ethics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Rick-Wilson-Lincoln-Project-scaled-e1768842329998.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2543581","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/894"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2543581"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2543581\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2543585,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2543581\/revisions\/2543585"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2543582"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2543581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2543581"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2543581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}