Democrat Graham Platner Suspends Campaign Amid Sexual Assault Allegations
Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate for the Senate in Maine, halted his campaign on Wednesday following calls from several Democratic senators for him to resign due to sexual assault allegations.
In a video shared on social media, Platner announced his decision to suspend campaigning, denying the accusations while suggesting that the establishment is to blame for his predicament. “My name may be on the ballot right now, but that ballot belongs to the people of Maine,” he stated in his video.
“As many of you know, over the past few days, I’ve faced some very serious allegations,” he began. “Let me be clear: This is all false. Nothing that is being alleged actually happened. It is not true.”
Platner further asserted that “corporate media” and the “political establishment” acted prematurely by treating him as guilty without allowing him time to thoroughly address the claims made against him.
According to Axios reporter Holly Otterbein, Platner informed his staff during a phone call at 8 p.m. that he would be canceling his campaign.
On Tuesday, Lindsay Fifield, a conservative commentator and former girlfriend of Platner, expressed her concerns, having previously accused him of physical abuse. She claimed he would remove condoms during sex even after she made it clear she wasn’t using birth control. Platner’s team has denied these allegations, labeling them as “categorically false and politically motivated.”
Fifield recounted, “He had removed the condom. He would do it in a sneaky way. He didn’t tell me.” Initially, she had shared these claims during an off-the-record interview.
Fifield explained her decision to go public was partly to highlight that others, like Jenny Racicot who also accused Platner, faced similar experiences regarding sexual consent.
Removing a condom without consent, often referred to as “stealthing,” is considered a form of sexual assault in several countries, including the UK, Canada, and parts of Australia. In the U.S., states like Maine, California, and Washington have begun addressing the issue legally. The alleged incidents involving Platner reportedly took place in Washington, D.C.
Fifield alleged that Platner had removed the condom multiple times during their encounters, and when she confronted him, he would often laugh off her concerns, which only added to her frustration.
In another post, she mentioned his dismissive attitude during their conversations. “He had this cute, ‘How despicable me’ attitude about it,” she said.
Fifield shared that she initially withheld information about the allegations, as she was concerned about the implications for her personal life. A close friend even admitted to discussing the issue with her post-relationship.
Fifield’s allegations followed Racicot’s accusations from Monday, prompting calls from several prominent Democrats, including Senator Bernie Sanders, for Platner to step aside as he pursued a challenge against Republican Senator Susan Collins.
