the plot thickens

More uncomfortable details emerge surrounding Lincoln Project co-founder’s gay sext scandal

John Weave
John Weaver (Photo: YouTube)

The Lincoln Project has come out swinging against its co-founder, John Weaver, after the New York Times published an explosive new investigation into his gay sexting scandal.

Quick recap: Weaver, who is married to a woman and has two children, came out as gay last month after multiple young men came forward to say they had received unsolicited sexual messages from him, often coupled with internship or employment offers.

“For too long I have tried to live a life that wasn’t completely true,” Weaver said in a statement after the story broke. “The truth is that I’m gay. 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.”

Weaver also issued an apology to the men he made feel uncomfortable, as well as to his family, friends, and colleagues who were disappointed in him.

Related: Right-wing Lincoln Project founder comes out, apologizes for “inappropriate” messages to men

Now, a story published by the New York Times shows the situation was more sinister than initially believed, alleging that Weaver didn’t just sext the men, he was often “aggressive” in his approach and left them feeling “preyed upon.” On top of that, it wasn’t just a few young men; it was almost two dozen.

The NYT reports:

Mr. Weaver sent overt sexual solicitations to at least 10 of the men and, in the most explicit messages, offered professional and personal assistance in exchange for sex. He told one man he would “spoil you when we see each other,” according to a message reviewed by The New York Times. “Help you other times. Give advice, counsel, help with bills. You help me … sensually.”

Interviews with the 21 young men, as well as a review of screenshots of dozens of messages he sent them over the last five years, show that his online behavior was in many cases aggressive and unwanted.

In some cases, the young men were still minors. One alleges Weaver first contacted him when he was 14, then again when he was 17 to ask, “Are you in HS still?”

Another young man says he was just 18 when Weaver messaged him to say he wanted to take him to Las Vegas and “spoil” him with “dinner and drinks.”

Often Weaver would ask the men questions about their bodies, whether they were circumcised, and request they share “thirst trap” photos.

In response to the New York Times report, the Lincoln Project has issued a strongly-worded statement against Weaver, who took a leave of absence from the group last summer and announced last month he would not be returning.

It said:

John Weaver led a secret life that was built on a foundation of deception at every level. He is a predator, a liar, and an abuser. We extend our deepest sympathies to those who were targeted by his deplorable and predatory behavior. We are disgusted and outraged that someone in a position of power and trust would use it for these means. The totality of his deceptions are beyond anything any of us could have imagined and we are absolutely shocked and sickened by it.

Weaver has not issued any further comment since his remarks last month.

Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.

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