Democrats are rushing to distance themselves from film producer Harvey Weinstein after a bombshell New York Times story revealed allegations that the mega-donor spent decades sexually harassing the women he worked with, The Hill reports.
Severa Democratic senators, including Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, as well as potential 2020 presidential contenders – are pledging to donate the contributions they’ve received from Weinstein over the years to nonprofit groups advocating for women who have been the victims of sexual abuse.
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) will give the money it received from Weinstein in the most recent campaign cycle to a trio of women’s groups. However, the DNC quickly came under fire for only donating a fraction of what it had received from Weinstein over the years, and for giving the money to political organizations rather than those that support victimized women, The Hill adds.
Weinstein’s association with the Democratic Party runs deep, as he has long been one of the most prominent figures on the donor circuit that runs through Hollywood, The Hill adds.
Schumer said he would give $14,200 received over the course of several campaign cycles to women’s groups, his office told The Hill.
Senator Elizabeth Warren will donate the $5,400 she got from Weinstein to a Boston nonprofit group called Casa Myrna, which aids victims of domestic violence. Senator Cory Booker will give $7,800 to the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
Senator Al Franken is returning the most money, $19,600 given to both his campaign and a supporting super PAC, to the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center. And Senator Kirstin Gillibrand is giving $11,800, none of which was received in the most recent cycle, to RAINN = the nation’s largest group assisting victims of sexual violence.
Weinstein has given about a quarter of a million dollars to the DNC over the years, with about $30,000 of that coming in the latest cycle. The DNC is giving the $30,000 to EMILY’s List, which supports women candidates that support abortion rights, Emerge America, which recruits and trains Democratic women for office, and Higher Heights, which supports black women running for office, The Hill notes.
Be the first to comment