Maine Senate Candidate Denies Allegations
Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner has refuted new allegations against him during his first national media interview since the controversy emerged. This came after multiple ex-girlfriends spoke out in a New York Times report detailing allegations of rape fantasies, excessive drinking, and aggressive behavior.
In one incident described, Platner is accused of a public confrontation where he allegedly pulled an ex-girlfriend from a taxi during an argument and pushed her into a closed bedroom.
When questioned on MS NOW’s “All In with Chris Hayes,” Platner firmly claimed that these allegations are “not true.” He elaborated, saying, “There are some claims in this piece that I want to clarify a little bit that are simply not true.” He contended that statements regarding physicality and personal knowledge of his tattoos are made by individuals with political motivations.
Platner acknowledged his struggles in past relationships and admitted to using alcohol as a form of self-medication. He stated, “I’ve been candid from the beginning of this campaign that it was a pretty dark time in my life after coming back from a combat mission.” While he expressed a willingness to take responsibility for his actions, he remained adamant that the serious allegations are false.
During the interview, Hayes pressed, asking if Platner had indeed grabbed her wrist, forced her into a room with the door shut. Platner replied, “Yes, that’s not true.”
Following the initial report, Platner’s campaign responded to one of the accusers, Lindsey Fifield, labeling her a “lifelong Republican operative” whose testimony is biased.
Platner’s campaign has faced numerous controversies since it began. Earlier this year, he was reported to have a tattoo reminiscent of a Nazi symbol, which he has since had covered up. He also drew criticism for past comments on Reddit, including a statement suggesting that wounded soldiers “didn’t deserve to live.”
Recent reports indicated that Platner had sent explicit messages to at least six women while married. Notably, shortly after launching his Senate campaign, his wife, Amy Gartner, notified aides of this correspondence. Gartner later released a video defending both her husband and his campaign.
