Political Ties and Scandals in Maine Senate Race
In Washington, it came to light that Joe Calvello, the top spokesperson for Mayor Mamdani, earned over $50,000 while consulting for Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate for Senate in Maine. This work occurred just before he took his role in City Hall back in January.
The mayor’s office has stated that Calvello’s salary is around $210,000 annually. He’s part of Mamdani’s circle, which has raised eyebrows particularly because of recent revelations about Oysterman—a known figure in leftist politics—who allegedly engaged in inappropriate messaging with up to 12 women during his marriage.
Interestingly, between October 1, 2025, and January 9, 2026, Platner paid a political firm registered under Calvello a total of $50,036.07 for consulting work. The last $10,000 was paid only nine days after Mamdani took office.
The mayor’s office clarified that Calvello’s official start date was January 13 and noted he did not need to report a conflict of interest concerning the work he did for Platner or any other candidates prior to his tenure.
Calvello had recently shared a response from Platner regarding the Trump administration’s arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. In a significant event, over 6,500 people had attended a rally featuring socialist Senator Bernie Sanders in September, with Calvello working alongside Platner days later.
His consulting firm, Common Pheasant Consulting LLC, was established in May 2025. It reportedly received over $68,500 from various Democratic campaigns in the last part of 2025 and early 2026. Notably, Wyoming LLCs aren’t required to disclose their ownership, making transparency an issue regarding financial distributions related to political campaigns.
Earlier this year, a watchdog group discovered alleged misuse of funds from former Mayor Eric Adams’ campaign that also funneled money into a Wyoming LLC, which raised suspicions and prompted an investigation.
Calvello did not respond to inquiries regarding the allegations surrounding Platner’s recent sexting scandal. Platner’s past includes a role as communications director for Senator John Fetterman after he defeated Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania.
Over the weekend, reports surfaced that Platner had exchanged explicit texts with several women, with his wife, Amy Gartner, bringing forward these allegations. Genevieve MacDonald, a former political director for Platner’s campaign, acknowledged the “sexting” incidents last August, a month before she joined the campaign payroll and received a substantial payment.
Though Platner and Gartner dismissed media reports as unfounded gossip, they admitted to seeking marital counseling, asserting that their relationship remains “very loving and very happy.”
As it stands, Platner reportedly has a profile on the dating app Kik, prompting criticism over his actions. During a recent interview, Fetterman expressed disapproval over Platner’s behavior on the platform, reflecting on how inappropriate it is to send explicit messages.
Earlier online posts attributed to Platner under similar usernames displayed troubling remarks that attracted additional scrutiny. He later addressed potential voter judgment regarding his online past, emphasizing his evolution since those days.
Currently, he has a slight lead over incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins, but the race remains competitive. Speculations regarding whether former Democratic opponent, Governor Janet Mills, could sway the election continue, with insiders suggesting that support for Platner is strong despite any bumps in the road ahead.
