Many Democrats Are Now Donating Harvey Weinstein's Campaign Contributions To Charity

In 2012, he held a $38,500-per-person fundraiser for Barack Obama (co-hosted with Aaron Sorkin and Anne Hathaway), and in 2016, he hosted multiple celebrities at his Manhattan home to raise more than $1.5 million for Hillary Clinton's campaign.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Weinstein bundled — a term for helping officially fundraise donations from others — $1,422,683 for Clinton's campaign in 2016 and at least $500,000 for Obama's 2012 campaign.

"The behavior described by women coming forward cannot be tolerated. Their courage and the support of others is critical in helping to stop this kind of behavior," read the statement, released in a tweet by press secretary Nick Merrill.

A spokesperson for Leahy's campaign told BuzzFeed News that "the recipient of the funds has yet to be finalized."

In a statement, Glen Caplin, senior advisor to Sen. Gillibrand, told BuzzFeed News: “Sen. Gillibrand has received no donations from him this election cycle and will not accept any going forward. However, she will donate all the contributions she received in previous cycles to RAINN. Kirsten invites the right wing activists using this terrible story as a political tool to join her in actually working to combat sexual assault and sexual harassment in our society. They can start by endorsing her bipartisan legislation to end sexual violence on college campuses and in our military.”

Franken spokesman Ed Shelleby said on Tuesday that the $19,600 covers donations Weinstein made to the senator's reelection campaign and political action committee.

Asked which charity would receive the $4,800, the Stabenow official said she did not know.

Weinstein made the donation to the Illinois Democrat in 1995.

All 14 Democratic senators who have received contributions from Weinstein have said they will give that money — or in Feinstein's case, that money and then some — to charity.

"Governor McAuliffe is deeply troubled and sickened to hear the reports about Harvey Weinstein’s horrendous behavior toward women," the spokesperson said in a statement. "His actions are indefensible and cannot be tolerated. Governor McAuliffe offers his support to all who have suffered as a result of this abuse and misuse of power, and is grateful to everyone who has come forward. He will continue to fight against sexual assault, harassment and violence against women. No woman should have to tolerate these types of disgraceful offenses."

The $30,000 will cover the amount the DNC received from Weinstein during the last election cycle.

In a statement, DNC spokesperson Xochitl Hinojosa called the allegations against Weinstein "deeply troubling" and evoked the Access Hollywood tape of President Donald Trump.

"The Democratic party condemns all forms of sexual harassment and assault," said the statement. "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."

In response, the Republican National Committee accused the DNC of attempting to "launder the dirty Harvey Weinstein money to fellow Democratic political organizations" by redirecting the $30,000.

"Now EMILY’s List, Emerge America and Higher Heights have the opportunity to do what the DNC failed to do — either return the money or donate it to charity," said RNC press secretary Cassie Smedile.

EMILY’s List, a political nonprofit that recruits and supports candidates who are pro-choice women, will keep the money they receive from the DNC, an official with the group said on Saturday.

“EMILY’s List plans to continue our work to elect more women to positions of leadership so no woman has to endure sexual harassment at the hands of a powerful man again," said EMILY's List spokesperson Julie McClain Downey.

Emerge America, a group that trains women who want to run for office, also plans to keep the contributions, according to communications director Allison Abney.

"Emerge America plans to use the funds to recruit and train even more Democratic women who, as elected officials, will bring forth policies that will reduce sexual harassment on college campuses, in the military and in the lives of all American women," Abney said on Sunday. "We remain committed to changing the face of politics by recruiting and training Democratic women from diverse backgrounds. That is how we will help end sexual harassment in this country."

The other Democratic organization set to receive the DNC money, Higher Heights, did not return a request for comment about their plans.

Requests for comment on Weinstein were also not returned from spokespersons for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, both of which have received campaign contributions from Weinstein.