Lincoln Project's political future in peril after controversies wound group

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Former Trump official Reince Priebus calls out Lincoln Project over multiple allegations of misconduct against co-founder John Weaver.

Reeling from multiple controversies, the anti-Trump GOP political action committee the Lincoln Project is facing questions about its future in politics.

The Lincoln Project, which was formed in late 2019 by a group of prominent Republican consultants and strategists united against Donald Trump , quickly grabbed national attention and became a fundraising juggernaut thanks to viral videos and ads that blasted Trump as well as top congressional allies of the then-president.

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But the group is now under fire over a couple of controversies surrounding allegations that a now-departed co-founder of the group, John Weaver, sexually harassed young men.

A longtime Democratic consultant and veteran of presidential campaigns, while praising the Lincoln Project’s attacks on Trump, also questioned the group’s future.

"Democrats marveled at the no-holds-bar fighting approach that the Lincoln Project took against Trump. The attacks waged on Trump by them were far better than anything Democrats have ever done," said the consultant, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely.

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"Now they've turned it on each other. And it won't end well for any of them," the consultant predicted. "There will always be a need for the approach the Lincoln Project took in the race against Trump, but there may not be a need for them to do it."

Another veteran Democratic strategist who’s also worked on presidential campaigns noted that the Lincoln Project’s "fundraising among Democrats could dry up, and there's definitely plenty of other places where that money could be used. Democrats might take a look at other options when it comes to where their contributions go."

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The Lincoln Project has raised roughly $90 million since its launch, but has spent only a third of that money on TV and digital ads. The remaining money was spent on related expenditures, such as production and overhead costs , as well as fees paid to consulting firms controlled by members of the Lincoln Project. And that’s raised questions about the group’s finances.

Many Republicans aren’t shedding tears over the Lincoln Project's current troubles.

"There are a lot of Republicans who are enjoying watching the Lincoln Project’s implosion not because of their views toward Trump, but the sanctimony, smugness and self-righteousness with which they have conducted themselves," a veteran GOP strategist told Fox News.

The strategist, who also asked for anonymity, argued that "raising millions of dollars, most of which went into their own pockets for consulting fees, using NDA’s (non-disclosure agreements) to silence former employees, attacking anyone in the media who raises questions – the Lincoln Project may claim to despise Trump, but they borrow a lot of tactics straight out of his playbook. My sense is this is just the tip of the iceberg, and the chickens are coming home to roost. They are about to get torched by Republicans and Democrats alike."