The Democratic candidate for the US Senate from Maine, Graham Platner, is involved in yet another scandal. The politician, who was previously suspected of getting a tattoo with Nazi symbols and cheating on his wife, was accused of rape by his ex-lover, CNN and Politico report.
Jenny Racicot, 41, told media outlets that she dated Platner for two years before the attack occurred in late 2021. A Democrat broke into her Maine home drunk, forced her into sex and overturned a sewing machine on her, causing injuries, the woman claims. According to her, the next day in correspondence Platner told her that he did not remember the event. The woman stopped communicating with him after the incident.
Prior to the interview with Politico and CNN, Racicott reported in June to The New York Times (NYT) about Platner's “frightening” behavior during their years together, but did not mention the possible rape. In new comments, she explained this by saying that she did not want to position herself as a victim of sexualized violence.
The woman also did not contact the police after the incident, but Politico notes that it has reviewed the documents she provided. Among them are correspondence with loved ones, in which she told them about the incident, as well as data about her visits to a psychologist.
Racicott added that she shares the political views of a democratic socialist and her decision to speak out about the incident is not related to an attempt to influence the outcome of the November election.
The headquarters of 41-year-old Platner denied the accusations. The press service said that such statements are “coordinated by operatives of the state establishment” and put them on a par with past claims against the candidate. During the campaign, Platner was remembered, in particular, for a tattoo of a skull reminiscent of SS symbols, as well as his service in a private military company working with the US State Department in Afghanistan.
As RTVI previously wrote, the media also published materials about the adultery of the Democratic candidate, who in November should compete for a seat in the US Senate with Republican Susan Collins.
Platner also personally denied the new allegations in a video message, but stressed in it that he would consider possible options for the “way forward.” The wording usually speaks of the possibility of withdrawal of a candidacy. A number of his fellow party members have already called on Platner to make this decision, in particular another representative of the left wing of the party, Congressman Ro Khanna (California), and Democratic leader in the Senate Chuck Schumer (New York).
As NBC News notes, the Maine Democratic Party Committee will have until July 27 to replace Platner if he decides to drop out of the race. He previously won the party's primary, which was open to voters on June 9. The campaign was Platner's first – he had previously been involved in the oyster farming business after retiring from military service.
