Emily’s List has released a statement that refers to scandal-ridden Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein as a “predator,” but fails to mention anything about returning contributions Weinstein made to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) that were recently funneled to the feminist political action committee.
Stephanie Schriock, president of Emily’s List – whose goal is to elect pro-abortion Democratic women to public office – said in a statement Wednesday:
We have spent the past week listening to brave women step forward and speak out with stories of sexual assault and harassment. One thing is clear: Harvey Weinstein is a predator.
Dangerous power imbalances are not just a problem in Hollywood – they exist in the White House, the U.S. Capitol, and in seats of government across this nation. As we have for more than 30 years, EMILY’s List will continue to fight to elect and empower women leaders who will not only dismantle this dangerous power dynamic, but ensure survivors get the support they need and deserve, whether they are in Hollywood, on college campuses, in the military, the workplace, or in our communities.
Last Friday, the Hollywood Reporter noted the DNC would donate approximately $30,000 of the nearly $250,000 Weinstein contributed to its political action committee over the years after the New York Times and the New Yorker exposed various actresses’ allegations of rape and sexual harassment against the producer.
The DNC released a statement that it would donate the Weinstein money to Emily’s List, Emerge America – which also seeks to elect women to political office – and Higher Heights, a group that aims to specifically elect black women to office.
DNC communications director Xochitl Hinojosa said:
The allegations in the New York Times report are deeply troubling. The Democratic party condemns all forms of sexual harassment and assault. We hope that Republicans will do the same as we mark one year since the release of a tape showing President Trump bragging about sexually assaulting women followed by more than a dozen women who came forward to detail similar experiences of assault and harassment.
The DNC will donate over $30,000 in contributions from Weinstein to EMILY’s List, Emerge America and Higher Heights because what we need is more women in power, not men like Trump who continue to show us that they lack respect for more than half of America.
The failure of the DNC to return Weinstein’s contributions directly to him or to donate the money to nonpartisan women’s support charities and instead give the money to feminist women’s political action groups has been criticized by Republicans as devoid of substance.
“It’s a meaningless gesture packaged as a good faith attempt to cut ties with the disgraced producer,” writes Emily Jashinsky in a column at the Washington Examiner. “And nobody is buying it. Democratic donors should be insulted by the DNC’s transparently insincere effort to distance itself from Weinstein. If the organization can’t bring itself to part with his money, how ‘deeply troubled’ could the DNC actually be?”
Alexandra Smith, executive director for the GOP opposition firm America Rising, also noted the $30,000 is a fraction of what Weinstein has contributed to the DNC over the years.
“The DNC’s response to the Harvey Weinstein matter is shockingly bad — even by Washington standards,” Smith said, according to the Hill. “’Donating’ a mere 10 percent of the entire Weinstein contribution to another left-leaning political action committee is a complete embarrassment.”
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