MSNBC ignored the sexual harassment scandal engulfing The Lincoln Project in order to play the “game of coddling and covering up people who suit their political beliefs,” Fox News “Outnumbered” panelist Dagen McDowell said Thursday.
“As long as you would come on TV and say nasty things about Donald Trump and his supporters … there was a space for you on those networks despite the fact that it was common knowledge about the problems with [Lincoln Project co-founder] John Weaver,” McDowell said, calling out MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace.
Wallace, the former Republican flack-turned-reliable Democratic media sycophant, hosted Lincoln Project co-founders Steve Schmidt and Rick Wilson, as well as Lincoln Project advisers Kurt Bardella and Tara Setmayer, at least nine times on her “Deadline: White House” program between Jan. 11 and Feb. 8.
Conservative author and journalist Ryan Girdusky first broke the story about Weaver’s history of sexual harassment. on Jan. 11. On Jan. 31, The New York Times published a report featuring interviews with 21 young men who accused Weaver of sending them “unsolicited and sexually provocative messages online.” One of the men was 14 years old at the time he said Weaver contacted him.
Since that time, the organization’s structure has crumbled amid multiple reports that Schmidt and others knew about the allegations against Weaver earlier than they claimed. In addition, criticism of the group’s questionable finances and its toxic work environment have increased.
MSNBC ignored the Weaver story until “Morning Joe” host Mika Brzezinski asked Conway about it on Feb. 1. Conway expressed disgust with Weaver’s behavior but added he didn’t know him well.
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“If you knew there were problems, why would you book them?” McDowell asked. “Again, anti-Trump.”
“This is exactly about how Harvey Weinstein and his rape and torture of women and destruction of women’s lives was covered up by the media for decades,” she added, “because again, money, power, liberal credit, maybe give you a little financial help if you needed it. It’s the same problem and really appalling that it hasn’t changed.”
Fox News’ David Rutz contributed to this report.