Top Democrats withdraw support for Graham Platner over sexual assault allegations ahead of key Maine race
Chuck Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader, and the leadership of the Maine Democratic Party asked Graham Platner to back out of the Senate campaign on
Chuck Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader, and the leadership of the Maine Democratic Party asked Graham Platner to back out of the Senate campaign on Monday (local time) after a report accused him of sexual assault. Politico reported that a woman who dated Maine Senate candidate Platner accused him of assaulting her roughly five years ago despite her repeated objections, an allegation that he has denied. Platner maintained that the allegation is “categorically false”, but added that his campaign is reflecting on “the best path forward”. Allegations against Graham Platner A 41-year-old Maine resident, Jenny Racicot, accused Platner of sexually assaulting her. Speaking to Politico, she said the Maine Senate candidate, in 2021, entered her home uninvited and forced himself on her without consent. According to the woman, she had an on-and-off relationship with Platner for over two years before he sexually assaulted her after entering her home in an intoxicated state.
She added that she cut off contact with him following the incident and told him the encounter was not consensual. Graham Platner denies sexual assault allegations Denying the allegations, he called them “troubling, serious and false”. In a video posted on X, he said, “Any accusation of non-consensual behaviour is categorically false.” In a video posted on X, Platner said, “Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, but mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I love, the movement I belong to, and the goal of defeating Susan Collins.” He added, “Those were the goals when we launched this campaign, and they remain my goals today.” Further, in a statement released on Monday, his campaign termed the allegations “coached and coordinated by out-of-state establishment operatives”.
It added, "For a year, opponents of this campaign have thrown everything they can at Graham –– calling him a Nazi, a war criminal, and a communist. None of it has been true, and this is no different. It is not a coincidence that this story comes a week before the ballot deadline, just as the previous false allegations came a week before the primary. Graham began this campaign to fight for a Maine where everyone is treated with dignity and where Mainers are put first, and no amount of desperate smears will stop this movement from seeing that vision through." Democrats withdraw support for Platner Shortly after the report, Schumer called on Platner, asking him to “immediately withdraw” from the Maine Senate race. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) joined Schumer in his statement. Another Democrat, Ken Martin, the chair of the Democratic Committee, also called on Platner to end his campaign, with many other lawmakers condemning his actions.
The BriefWire