Ro Khanna Supports Graham Platner Amid Allegations
California Representative Ro Khanna has affirmed his belief in the women accusing Maine Democrat Graham Platner of physical abuse while still backing Platner himself.
Khanna, who has been one of Platner’s early supporters, spoke about the potential for redemption, particularly for those involved in the oyster farming community, and highlighted the Democrats’ efforts to win Maine’s Senate seat.
“I believe in those women, and I entirely condemn his past actions as shameful,” Khanna mentioned during an interview.
He added that Platner, who served tours in Iraq and returned with PTSD, has acknowledged struggles with alcohol. “That’s not an excuse, but he’s had a rough chapter in his life. He believes he has changed and found redemption,” Khanna explained.
While Khanna professes to support the accusers, Platner has denied several of the allegations against him, including claims that he was a bad boyfriend and physically rough with one of them. Many women have stepped forward sharing their experiences with him, including Lindsey Fifield, who described troubling incidents involving physical confrontations.
In her account, Fifield claimed Platner had forcibly pulled her from a taxi on one occasion and restrained her in another. Platner has dismissed these accusations as “politically motivated,” noting that Fifield is a Republican operative.
Fifield also privately discussed Platner’s skull and bones tattoo as reminiscent of Nazi symbolism months before that connection became widely recognized. Another former relationship of Platner’s echoed similar sentiments about the tattoo prior to its public discussion, although Platner later claimed he was unaware of those associations.
Responding to the questions about Fifield’s knowledge, Platner stated, “Well, she certainly didn’t send me that message,” when asked about her foresight regarding the tattoo’s implications.
Khanna emphasized that Democratic primary voters in Maine still support Platner despite ongoing controversies surrounding him, including revelations about his personal life. This includes claims about infidelity from his wife, who he married in 2023, a questionable Kik account, and contents from a now-deleted Reddit feed.
One troubling Reddit post from 2012 allegedly shows him mocking a teenage girl’s suicide attempt.
Polls suggest that Platner currently holds a narrow 4.5-point lead over incumbent Senator Susan Collins. In contrast, Collins won her 2020 re-election by a significant margin.
