RNC Waged War on Democrats Over Harvey Weinstein Donations
In a bombshell report from the Rupert Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal billionaire casino owner Steve Wynn is accused by “dozens” of people, including former employees, of inappropriate sexual behavior. Wynn, the Republican National Committee’s finance chairman and a huge GOP donor, has given the RNC and other Republican groups and politicians over $2 million.
In the few hours since the news broke, pressure has been growing for the RNC to fire Wynn and for the RNC and other recipients of Wynn cash to give it back.
Last October, amid countless news reports of the growing list of Harvey Weinstein sexual assault accusers, the RWNC waged a weeks-long war on the Democratic National Committee and various Democratic politicians, including now private citizen Hillary Clinton, to return any donations from Weinstein, a big Democratic donor.
So far the RNC and other Republicans have said nearly nothing. Wynn so far has made it clear he will not resign from his company, Wynn Resorts, despite its stock taking an 8 point hit Friday afternoon as the markets closed at new highs.
The Washington Post reports a Wynn spokesperson had no comment on questions about him possibly stepping down as RNC finance chairman.
Alixandria Lapp, president of House Majority PAC, a Democratic political action committee, is asking why the RNC isn’t returning all funds donated during Wynn’s tenure as finance chair:
Just one week ago at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, Wynn co-hosted a joint RNC-Trump re-election campaign fundraiser that included $250,000 per-couple tickets.
“Will Trump return the money raised at Mar-a-Lago?” ThinkProgress asks. “Will Trump return the $729,217 Wynn donated to Trump’s inauguration?”
“Since 2012, Wynn has also given $2.5 million to the Republican Governors Association, $411,000 to the National Republican Senate Committee, $248,000 to the Republican National Committee and $100,000 to the National Republican Campaign Committee,” ThinkProgress also notes.
The Daily Beast reports “Wynn has donated more than $2 million to Republican campaigns, party organs, and interest groups since 2001, according to FEC records.”
There’s been what sounds like a conspiracy of silence throughout the GOP.
“The RNC, which last year chose not to distance itself from another official credibly accused of sexual harassment—Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore—did not respond to a request for comment as to whether they would now do the same,” The Daily Beast reports. “Nor did Sean Spicer, the president’s former press secretary and the committee’s former top strategist, who was particularly aggressive in criticizing Democrats after the Weinstein revelations.”
Just one GOP group, the Wisconsin GOP, has announced it will donate a portion of Wynn’s money.
Many are calling on the RNC and other recipients of Wynn’s millions, to give it back:
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