Sen. Susan Collins criticizes opponent’s Reddit post making fun of injured US soldier

Sen. Collins Critiques Graham Platner Over Past Remarks

Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) has publicly criticized Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate hoping to challenge her in the upcoming November midterm elections, for a recently uncovered Reddit post that appears to mock injured U.S. soldiers.

Collins, speaking to media, expressed her disapproval, stating, “It’s never appropriate to mock a downed American soldier. It’s just appalling.”

The post in question has since been deleted and included comments that mocked injured soldiers. One particularly controversial remark read: “They didn’t deserve to live.” The post was made by the now-removed Reddit account P-Hustle, which Platner admitted to owning.

Further investigations into Platner’s posts revealed that he made derogatory comments regarding a viral video featuring U.S. soldier Pfc. Ted Daniels, who was severely injured during a 2012 combat encounter with Taliban forces. Daniels was awarded a Purple Heart for his injuries, which were captured in his helmet camera footage.

In the 2019 post, Platner disparaged Daniels, suggesting that “bad marksmanship on the part of the Taliban” allowed the soldier to survive, and belittled his decisions during combat.

When approached for comments about these resurfacing posts, Collins asked for specifics but was noticeably taken aback. Platner has faced increasing scrutiny over various provocative posts since last year.

A website created by a super PAC associated with Collins compiled what they call Platner’s “red flags” throughout his campaign. The fundraising committee, Pine Tree Results, highlighted the controversies surrounding Platner, indicating that he poses a “radical” threat to Maine.

“For more than 20 years, an adult has revealed his true nature, raising one red flag after another,” the site claims.

This launch is part of a significant advertising campaign, with over $4 million already put toward attacking Platner during Collins’ re-election bid. Given that Collins’ seat is considered critical in the Republicans’ effort to maintain their Senate majority, the race is highly competitive.