5: History Chooses Us
The Lincoln Project
The Lincoln Project
4.6 • 9.1K Ratings
🗓️ 17 February 2021
⏱️ 23 minutes
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Summary
Host Reed Galen is joined by fellow Lincoln Project Co-Founder Rick Wilson and Lincoln Project Senior Advisor Stuart Stevens to discuss the aftermath of the failed Senate impeachment trial of Donald Trump and why continuing the fight against Trumpism is now more important than ever.
ANNOUNCEMENT: At the beginning of this episode, Co-Founder, Reed Galen shares a prepared statement from The Lincoln Project.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome back to the Lincoln Project. I'm your host, Reed Galen, and I'm joined today by my fellow co-founder, Rick Wilson. Hey, Rick. Hey Reed, great to be back. |
| 0:17.0 | Also joining me today, Lincoln Project Senior Advisor, Stuart Stevens. Stu, thanks for coming on board. You bet, man. |
| 0:24.0 | Before we get going with our conversation today, I just want to take a moment to read a statement that we released about where the Lincoln Project is and where we're going. |
| 0:34.0 | The Lincoln Project has retained the law firm of Paul Hastings to investigate allegations of inappropriate behavior by John Weaver as part of a comprehensive review of our operations and culture. |
| 0:45.0 | The review process is currently underway. |
| 0:48.0 | We are committed to creating a positive, diverse, and inclusive workplace environment at the Lincoln Project, and inappropriate behavior by anyone associated with the organization will not be tolerated under any circumstances. |
| 1:00.0 | We've already taken decisive action to address internal concerns. Additionally, we are releasing staff and former staff from the confidentiality provisions and their employment agreements to discuss their workplace environment. |
| 1:11.0 | Based on the findings of this review, we will take all necessary action to correct any issues or deficiencies that are identified. |
| 1:18.0 | Concurrently, we are also working with outside counsel and professional consultants to strengthen our corporate governance, finance, and operational structure, human resources, and leadership to position the Lincoln Project to further maximize our impact and lean into our important mission advancing democracy. |
| 1:36.0 | The Lincoln Project was founded to combat political forces who seek to undermine our democracy. |
| 1:41.0 | We revolutionized how political action committees operate and spent $81 million last cycle to create and place more than 300 advertisements, host national town halls, conduct voter outreach, and launch a podcast and streaming video network that engaged millions of voters. |
| 1:57.0 | 80% of our funds went to voter content production. Our historic results speak for themselves. |
| 2:03.0 | Moving forward, we have important work ahead of us, and we have created a nationwide movement of Americans who support our objectives. |
| 2:10.0 | In order to continue fulfilling our problems to our millions of supporters and contributors, we must address any and all internal organizational issues immediately and put in place a governance and diverse leadership structure that reflects our core values and ensures we will continue to attract the best talent available. |
| 2:28.0 | The Lincoln Project will continue producing and distributing our popular content and commentary while these reviews are being conducted and we are operating at full capacity. |
| 2:37.0 | Now, Stuart and Rick, I want to talk about the impeachment. |
| 2:42.0 | This past Saturday, the United States Senate acquitted Donald John Trump in his second impeachment trial by a vote of 57 to 43, seven Republicans crossed over to vote with Democrats. |
| 2:55.0 | Unfortunately, it was not enough to gain 67 votes, the constitutionally mandated number to convict a president of the United States of high crimes and misdemeanors. |
| 3:06.0 | And so with that, I'd like to turn it over to Stuart and Stuart gets your sense of where it is we are in American democracy and just what Saturday's acquittal of Donald Trump really meant for the country. |
| 3:17.0 | I think last Saturday is going to be studied as one of those days in American history that proves to be a turning point. The question is which way is going to end up pointing. |
| 3:27.0 | We in a in the Lincoln Project, we got in this thing to fight Trump and Trumpism. We beat Trump, though we took him a while to realize it. |
| 3:34.0 | But I think what we saw Saturday is the Trumpism has now become the official voice at a Republican party. |
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