A woman who previously dated Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner said he drunkenly forced her to have sex after she told him to stop, according to a Politico report released Monday, leading prominent supporters to pull their endorsements and throwing a must-win race for the party into turmoil.
Platner denied the allegation, but said he would be considering next steps for his campaign.
“Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting but mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we’re taking the time to reflect on the best path forward,” he said in a video released on social media.
Jenny Racicot, who lives in Maine, told Politico that Platner entered her home in 2021 while drunk and assaulted her. Racicot said she had been in an on-and-off relationship with Platner, but she cut off contact with him after that night and told him the incident wasn’t consensual. A voicemail left at a number listed for Racicot seeking comment did not receive an immediate response.
Platner’s campaign did not immediately respond to an email and phone message from The Associated Press seeking comment.
“Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically false,” Platner said in his video.
Still, the allegation sparked a flight away from a candidate who has long been controversial. Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who’d stood by Platner even as the insurgent candidate was hit with prior allegations, said Monday’s was enough. “I’ve been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line,” Khanna said. “These allegations are very serious and credible. Graham Platner should drop out from the race. I am withdrawing my endorsement.”
Sounds like Republicans making shit up because they’re scared. I for one don’t give a fuck. Hope he stays in the race and wins.
Republicans protect pedophiles
Republicans? I wouldn’t be surprised if the establishment Democrats are behind this either. They’ve already seen many they don’t like make dramatic wins lately, and here’s a guy running on their ticket who actively slammed the establishment and was a disrupter.
I don’t know why you’re being downvoted. I agree 100% establishment Dems only bear their teeth when they don’t like a Democrat candidate. They just roll over and show their belly when they see Republicans abusing us.
That said, unfortunately I think the jig is up for Platner. Most people, myself included, are going to believe these accusations and that’s going to lead to way less progressives coming out to vote in November.
If you don’t care about rape, murder, and Nazis, you’re not worth a single fuck. Nice double spacing those sentences btw, fucking nerd.
Sorry I was taught proper sentence structure idiot!! And right now this is a war on ideology I can forgive somebody for being young and stupid and maybe having far right idea but if they clearly shown they’ve grown as a person and change that tattoo I don’t give a fuck.
The timing of this is highly suspicious, both Republicans and establishment Democrats don’t want him in office. I know it’s not ideal but who hasn’t done stupid s*** when they’re drunk I’m sick and tired of Democrats caving to the slightest bit of controversy meanwhile there’s f****** Nazi pedophiles in the f****** White House
Same. His opponent voted to put a rapist on the SCOTUS. I’d rather him have one term and out, then bring that fucking GOP piece of shit back. Then again, not my state, not my farm.
Love the comments saying they don’t care about rape showing how big of a piece of shit they are. Really cool guys.
There’s so many comments not caring about rape.
Those who were willing to overlook the other red flags have no issues ignoring or dismissing another one sadly
The same people who gladly watch a Roman Polanski movie.
Love the smears saying people shouldn’t have basic media literacy or completely forget that political hit pieces exist. Really shows how moronic and naive these people are. Really cool guys.
Still better than the alternative.
Sucks that’s the choice, but it is what it is.
The alternative where he drops out and gets replaced by a not-fatally-damaged Democrat who might actually be able to win?
It’s not clear that this is a fatal accusation or that a replacement candidate selected by party bosses would be in a better position to win. Scandals just aren’t what they used to be while insider politics has been losing repeatedly.
It’s fatal. The tattoo and earlier abuse allegations combined dragged him from a mid-high single-digit lead to a statistical tie in a race with an opponent who usually overperforms. And this latest scandal is so awful that it has caused virtually every major supporter from Chuck Schumer and the DSCC to Ro Khanna and Our Revolution to cut bait. He might still have a diehard base of true believers, but that isn’t enough to win.
Yeah, I think so
This smacks of bullshit.
If you ever get raped, I hope people copy and paste this comment of yours everywhere you go.
Gross. So you want to continue the tradition of hating on victims because of a past incident that allows you to think they earned it…
Really fucking gross.
“The major problem—one of the major problems, for there are several—one of the many major problems with governing people is that of whom you get to do it; or rather of who manages to get people to let them do it to them. To summarize: it is a well-known fact that those people who must want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it. To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job.”
― Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
Just hold a lottery for the senate / house seat. No politics, no filtering.
This is why you disqualify the guy with the nazi tattoo immediately…
Anyone with judgements that bad us going to have more skeletons in the closet
This is what always gets me. It’s not like there aren’t hundreds if not thousands of people who want the job.
I felt this way during the Kavenaugh hearings for the SC. If someone has anything big that would disqualify them if true, even if it isn’t, why push that candidate?
It’s not a court of law. We’re not throwing them in jail. It doesn’t need to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. They are just not getting a job they wanted.
I’ve seen people not get a job they wanted because they forgot a word during an interview. Why the hell can someone be credibly accused of rape and everyone’s like, “well yeah, but we still want them to get this job.” Just interview other candidates! There’s not a lack of people who would want to be a Senator or SC Justice or whatever. What the hell?
Why the hell can someone be credibly accused of rape and everyone’s like, “well yeah, but we still want them to get this job.”
This is built right into our government. We, the people, have said we don’t care about rape and rape victims. And now it’s clear that it doesn’t matter which aisle they’re on, people will support their candidate no matter what.
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If shes willing to bring her face to the media why not at this point bring it to court? Or the emails with the therapist, why not show that? With message headers to prove they’re real.
Platner should sue her at this point and persist.
Gee whiz, why don’t more rape victims come forward when supposed allies treat them like this?
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She’s not just saying whatever the fuck she wants. She has evidence as well.
Questioning the trauma a rape victim is enduring because she isn’t acting the way YOU want her to is gross.
Even the Epstein victims that got raped by multiple men went to court first.
No they fucking did not.
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Ain’t no one “going to the courts” first. That’s not even possible with something like this. There are so many steps before you can even touch FOOT in a court, and that’s assuming it even gets there at all. People tell their support network first, be that a family member or a friend.
You think those victims told no one but the courts first?
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Yeah totally rational behavior when called out for victim blaming.
Have a good one.
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You have no idea if she has filed a report by this time. You all have no idea how difficult it is to report rape.
98% of perpetrators never see a court room or jail time.
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You clearly didn’t actually read any of the articles. She describes the difficulties she faced coming forward.
Have you read her account in her words at all or just comment sections?
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Again, a rape victim not acting the way you expect or the way you would act doesn’t mean they’re lying.
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or an off balance girlfriend who threatens this if you dont come out and talk to her more than once
I hope you never date a woman, you’ll just never believe them.
Least deranged liberal: “The rapist should sue the victim!”
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How is it deranged
Lmao literally self reporting
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Wow, nice job sitting there casting dispersion on a rape victim, all because your party is godawful at fielding candidates and you’re desperate.
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My takeaway is always… The people that raped me didnt change. It doesnt mean that they can’t but they didnt and I could continue to hate them for the pieces of shit they continued to be. I could use my past to add to the pile of the present but at some point we have to stop just letting just the past set a whole picture of people and use the present to define them as well. People are not morally singular unlike what idiots think.
I am so tired of people thinking they are being helpful by grandstanding punishment for some rape victims arbitrarily where they think they can enact justice rather than building a world for victims to actually get it. Its not yours to have if you are not the victim.
Yikes. The fuck is this shit.
You’re right you don’t get it. Thankfully.
Assuming what she says is true she experienced real trauma. (Not that Tik Tok BS)
Real trauma physically alters your brain. A physically altered brain does not behave the way people expect it to.
I will believe the accusations by default but if he does not drop out, Mainers still need to choose the rapist (accused, alleged or not) over the rapist enabler who will help remove the right for women to vote and have bodily autonomy, continue reckless and expensive wars, subsidizing billionaire excess, and send US taxpayer money to for Israel’s genocide while starving Maine. If Platner drops out, more likely than not, a replacement like David Costello may write many words in opposition to Collins, but push for little action.
I think Platner has 48 hours to research to find if AIPAC or outside groups (not including Cheyenne Hunt & Reckoning Action, Racicot reached out to them supposedly) have unduly influenced the details or timing of this. Some kind of credible evidence to put the evidence behind the allegations in doubt would be needed else this whole campaign is possibly sunk. CNN’s Tapper is happy to jump on this story asking leading questions.
I think Platner has 48 hours to research to find if AIPAC or outside groups (not including Cheyenne Hunt & Reckoning Action, Racicot reached out to them supposedly) have unduly influenced the details or timing of this
Politico, the website that published the story originally, is owned by unapologetic pro-Israel billionaires
I dare ask - why believe by default? What’s happened to innocent until proven guilty?
I won’t reflexively deny the victim. Trust but request verification. Platner is definitely presumed innocent but this is one where we still need more info. And it’s not at the standard of a criminal proceeding to determine whether people would want someone representing them in the Senate or not - rather it’s more like a job interview.
When it’s time to vote blue: “Platner the oyster farmer?”
Everyone saying it’s more credible than the last accusation, when the bar was on the floor for the last one. A woman is coming forward at the absolute most politically expedient time for the billionaires (not when he started his campaign, not when he started getting national attention) who voluntarily deleted all evidence of the incident herself but obliquely mentioned some vaguely troublesome things to some people who will all remain anonymous.
Ah yes truly we must all be fools for taking this with a grain of salt.
I don’t know if she is honest or not.
Assuming she is, a trauma brain rewires itself. It is a biological survival mechanism. You absolutely cannot impose neurotypical behaviors upon a neurodivergent brain.
Expecting better evidence when the motives are highly suspect is hardly some imposition. This accusation is coming at an extremely politically convenient time from a source that is extremely pro-Israel (Politico). Their parent company has already profited directly from the genocide in Gaza and Platner has taken a strong stance against it. So yes I will be skeptical to say the least.
She did not delete all evidence. She deleted her messages to Platner. There’s a difference and it’s disgusting that you’re pushing misinformation in order to prop up a rapist.
Read the article carefully
There’s a story from the accuser, and a mention of recent emails between her and her therapist that have no specifics. All corroborating people associated are choosing to be anonymous (so might be made up entirely for all we know.) All direct evidence mentioning specifics has been “deleted”
The most compelling evidence presented in the Politico is this chat conversation with another anonymous person with no time stamps
https://static.politico.com/ed/f5/4412f6b44946866944ef85fd8a96/platner-screenshot-1.JPG
So let’s assume the chat is real, and happened when claimed, which is giving a lot of grace at this point. It says he is “consensually careless” when drunk. Is that how you would describe your rapist? Interestingly, if there was a response to the direct question of "does he force himself on people " it’s cut off from the chat. Weird.
So all those Trump rape reports are fake too, right? Or is it only Democrats who can’t ever do rape?
Do you honestly just absorb everything you read on the internet with no regard to who said it or where it came from? Do I really need to explain to you why it matters who is saying it and why?
Hey buddy dude dropped out, you can stop being awful now.
So rape is good when your team does it.
You sound like a rapist.
Interesting that that’s what you say when someone is asking questions
Nothing interesting about it. You sound like a rapist. Time to do some self crit.
This is just funny and I would recommend the same to you. Time to do a little research into Politico
Imagine getting ratioed in your own little liberal echo chamber by a socialist and having to get the mods come and try and save you.
In b4 “much civility” reports. It’s all you have. Besides a Nazi, murderous, rapist candidate. Lmao.
It says he is “consensually careless” when drunk. Is that how you would describe your rapist?
When you’re asking questions like this, yes, it makes you sound like a rapist.
You know what my rapists sounded like? “Son, you know you are most handsome boy right?”
“Hey, are your parents around?”
“I heard you like to be helpful and are a giver, why dont you give me something.”You can fuck off.
This has nothing to do with the accusations against Platner.
Would you have preferred to have been told you’re lying about being raped?
There’s a lot riding on discrediting Graham. He is the most promising progressive candidate in the northeast right now and is aggressively anti-billionaire and anti-establishment. He has over ten thousand volunteers and has the oligarchy scared. Yes I am dubious of this extremely conveniently timed account that has extremely scant hard evidence, being reported from a website who has only painted Graham in extremely critical ways.
The owners of Politico are openly libertarian zionists. Consider the source.
This is incredibly weak copium.
Your man signed up to the military to murder, did the murdering, got out with the second-most recognizable Nazi tattoo on his chest. Then he signs up for Blackwater and rapes a woman.
This is your guy. A progressive winner. Whatever it takes to beat Collins, right? You’re a reactionary.
Fuck you! Dont fucking diminish rape like that to an insult against your perceived enemies. Thats crueler to victims of actual rape than you think and d Lowers the reality of it.
Go absolutely fuck yourself.
Questioning rape victim’s accounts and actively working to discredit them is what diminishes rape.
Boohoo. People have questions. If you have ever been the victim you realize that those will be all you get for a while. Questions dont hurt nearly as much as people tossing the idea of abuse around like a joke or an easy insult.
I have, stop pretending like you’re the only one to ever have been raped.
“Actual rape” my guy you’re a rapist who hasn’t offended yet.
You are disgusting.
Anonymous sources in news stories aren’t anonymous to the reporter so for them to be made up it would have to include the reporter in the conspiracy. But if there is corruption in the story they make it hard to verify.
Considering this whole story came from a source who is literally making a profit off of the settler colonialism in Israel, I wouldn’t put anything past them
With all the vitriol in the comments on Lemmy alone, is it any wonder why these people want to stay anonymous?
You’re nitpicking a rape victim’s phrasing about the rape she endured. YOU are part of the reason rape victims are afraid to come forward. Look at how you’re talking about this.
Honestly the most disgusting comments seem to be from the people “standing up” for the victim.
We dont come forwards cause people dont like to actually talk about it or deal with real consequences. We have a world not set up for victims to be taken seriously cause strong means right and we dont have space for being sad for them and helping them overcome it. People just want to be “good”. But we can’t talk about what that entails or what to do when people fail to live up to it without extremes.
She chose to come forward. We should respect what she has to say as the victim in this circumstance.
Am I saying anything about her personally?
This is serious and has serious implications, however ignoring the timing and choices made here is beyond naive. Politico in particular has had it out for Graham since October 2025
Saying “believe women” is not a magic mind control spell
And claiming a rape victim is lying isn’t a magic save-the-campaign motto.
I’ve just been on the internet too long to automatically believe everything I read, especially when it comes from a very motivated source
Yeah, this woman magically knew that Platner was going to run for office years and years ago when she advised her friend to not set someone up with Platner because he doesn’t respect consent.
I’ve been on the internet long enough to know that the knee-jerk reaction is to not believe rape victims. People in general don’t believe victims.
And you want me to believe that a man with a history of mercenary work in Afghanistan, past comments that blame rape victims for being raped and talking about how much he enjoyed killing brown people, and other sexual assault accusations is completely innocent here?
Stick a fork in him, he’s done. The endorsements will never come back, and there’s no way other politicians can recover from pulling an endorsement and giving it right back again.
Agreed though, the timing is SUPER sus.
If Platner wants to defend himself publicly on this, and/or keep running, and/or sue the accuser for libel, he’s free to do any or all of that. As anyone who’s been around for a few cycles know, its pretty common for candidates and other public figures, when they first reach a certain terminal level of attention or fame, to get a wide range of accusations on business, personal matters, drug use, and past sexual behavior. Just because these appear to be conveniently timed politically, is not evidence for or against their veracity. If there is no actual juice to these accusations, then dealing with people who lob bombs like that into the middle of campaigns is a well-worn playbook that thousands of politicians have run and won with, and he’ll be fine. If.
She warned multiple other women and has proof way before he even started his campaign
What proof. Why did she wait 5 years.
Another aspect as to why this is different is because it’s so well substantiated. It’s like… Textbook. There’s so little to argue with.
The previous claims against him had none of that, and came from his direct opposition. That is suspicious. These claims are not.
That is suspicious. These claims are not.
You don’t find the timing suspicious? JFC, you guys are as delusional as MAGA.
There are no criminal charges because no prosecutor would waste time and money on allegations with no evidence, and delayed for 5 years.
Very much with the “if.” I’d rather not add more logs to the everlasting bonfire of "women ignored for political expediency. If it is fake, then handle it like a normal person instead of self-destructing.
Yet another purity test failed, why can’t we tolerate sex pest Nazis?! Is nothing good enough for you leftists?
First you don’t want genocide and war crimes, now you don’t support rapists! We all know she is a filthy liar! No people in positions of power would do such a thing. Except for all the ones in office who do. But those guys don’t count! They’re Republicans!
If being a rapist gets you cancelled by the left, then the left would rather lose than let a rapist in office!
Clearly she’s lying about all of it. Never believe a single woman when they confess they were raped by someone I like. That’s what MSNBC told me when Biden was being questioned for his actions and defended Clarance Thomas to enter the Supreme Court, known sex pest.
This is just filthy slander, just vote Blue no matter who he rapes!
To the people that excused, and went to bat for, a genocide apologist… What’s a little rape? Honestly, I’m surprised so many are dropping him for this, maybe there’s hope yet.
I’m sure there’s something to be said about the perceived victims of the genocide, and the rape, but I don’t have time to think about it.
This has a Gary Hart vibe. Senior Democrats dont want Platner around. Platner told Stewart months ago how no one from the DNC talked to him despite leading in polls.
So now he gets railroaded on 5 year old allegations that will go nowhere.
Damn liberal democrats are such pussies and this comment section confirms. Republicans can do whatever the hell they want including fascism rape and murder but the democrats at tea time are in a tiff. Good luck winning back the senate.
