Democratic candidate for Senate in Maine, Graham Platner, is facing challenges in his campaign, particularly after implementing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) for his staff, as reported recently.
With increasing scrutiny surrounding his past Reddit posts, former political director Genevieve MacDonald, who stepped down in October, stated that NDAs started circulating around the time of the controversy. Reportedly, she was offered $15,000 to sign one but chose not to accept it, feeling that it contradicted the values she believed the campaign represented.
MacDonald expressed that she turned down the offer, which could have been financially helpful. She had joined Platner’s campaign enthusiastically but felt the situation was not right to sign an NDA.
As the backlash grew, Platner’s campaign insisted that the $15,000 offer was merely standard severance pay. A spokesperson clarified that they recently engaged Spruce Street Consulting to improve compliance protocols, stating that the standards should not have been retroactively enforced on previous staff members. MacDonald received benefits typical for campaign employees, they noted.
Documents regarding the NDAs were sent electronically by a contractor shortly after MacDonald’s resignation and were later withdrawn on a Wednesday evening, following inquiries from Politico about their usage.
The contractor involved, an expert in political compliance and founder of Spruce Street Consulting, confirmed that he works with Platner but did not provide further details. MacDonald shared a text message suggesting that if she returned the signed NDA on the same day, she would receive immediate payment.
In response to the ongoing turmoil, Platner appointed his friend Kevin Brown, who has experience in past presidential campaigns, as his new campaign manager. He has also brought on an in-house attorney to help stabilize operations. Brown declined to comment, and the campaign has not responded to requests for further information.
Amidst these developments, negative reports about Platner have come to light, casting a shadow over his previously promising candidacy. This comes at a time when Democratic Maine Governor Janet Mills, a strong contender against Republican Senator Susan Collins, has officially entered the primary race.
Platner has expressed regret over past Reddit posts that have resurfaced. These include a tattoo linked to Nazi imagery and a controversial statement advocating for violence as a means of achieving social change. Other posts made headlines for derogatory remarks toward police.
