Democratic Senators, including Warren, pressed Platner on whether new allegations could emerge, according to report
Graham Platner, Maine’s presumptive Democratic nominee for US Senate, was asked in a closed-door meeting of Senate Democrats this week if any more allegations against him could emerge, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.
Read more Game 61: Red Sox look to take series against Orioles in a Thursday matinee
The meeting, which took place in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, followed reports over the weekend that Platner’s wife had told a campaign aide shortly into him launching his Senate bid that she discovered sexually explicit texts with several women on his phone months earlier. The report added to the list of scandals clouding Platner’s freshman campaign against veteran GOP Senator Susan Collins.
According to the Journal’s report, published Wednesday, Planter was pressed during the meeting by two of his New England allies, senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Sanders asked Platner if any additional allegations could emerge against him. Warren followed Sanders’ question by saying there is a difference between marital issues and allegations of sexual assault.
Platner reportedly said that no additional allegations, including any credible allegations of assault, were forthcoming. Platner’s campaign could not be immediately reached for comment on the report Thursday.
Platner’s wife, Amy Gertner, has dismissed reports about his texting as a marital issue. Gertner said in a statement sent to the Globe over the weekend that she told “someone I considered a friend” about Platner’s text messages and that sheand her husband went to counseling.
Platner has slammed reports about his texting as “gossip.”
The New York Times reported Saturday that Gertner confided details about Platner’s text messages to Genevieve McDonald, a former Maine state representative and early campaign aide of Platner’s.
Sanders, who has endorsed Platner, told the Associated Press on Monday that he still supports his campaign. Warren dismissed reports on Platner’s text messages when asked about the story that same day, saying that the Senate hopeful is “making clear what he fights for.” Warren has also given Platner her endorsement.
Senator Peter Welch, a Vermont Democrat,who attended Tuesday’s closed-door meeting, told CBS News on Thursday that he expressed to Platner that “he has the obligation as a candidate to address legitimate questions Mainers have, personal and political.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer declined to share details of the meeting with Platner, when asked about it during a press conference on Tuesday. Schumer backed Governor Janet Mills for the Democratic nomination over Platner until Mills suspended her campaign in April.
Even before the text message story,Platner’s campaign courted controversy,including overa Nazi symbol he had tattooedon his chest.
Unearthed social media posts of Platner’s have also raised questions — in some now-deleted posts to Reddit, Platner downplayed concerns about sexual assault in the military. The oyster farmer served for eight years in the armed forces, including combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In an interview with the New York Times last month, Platner said he had his tattoo for years without anyone making a Nazi connection and has since had it covered. He also said he made the inflammatory social posts when he was “in a pretty dark place” and spoke about his struggles with alcohol.
Read more Senate rejects first Democratic effort to bar Trump from creating $1.8B settlement fund
Post Comment