*Two potential Democratic presidential candidates are getting rid of the money donated to them by Harvey Weinstein in the wake of an explosive New York Times report that the movie mogul sexually harassed women for “decades.”
A spokesman for Cory Booker, the junior senator from New Jersey, said he is donating $7,800 that he received from Weinstein to the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts’ senior senator and star of the Dems’ progressive wing, will donate $5,000 in contributions from Weinstein for her 2012 campaign to charity, a spokeswoman said.
Warren and Booker aren’t the only prominent Democrats to shun Weinstein’s contributions. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) are all rerouting his donations to charity.
In the past, Weinstein has hosted fundraisers for Hillary Clinton’s White House bid and for President Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns.
As previously reported, The Times report has rocked Hollywood and the Beltway. It contains several on-the-record accounts of Weinstein’s aggressive advances towards women, including actresses Ashley Judd and Rose McGowen. The indie studio’s board met on Thursday night to decide whether or not Weinstein will be given a leave of absence or ousted from the company.
Weinstein also gave money to Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).