Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner is denying a new allegation of sexual assault, an explosive development injecting tumult into a race that is central to the Democratic Party’s path to winning back the Senate.Subscribe to read this story ad-freeGet unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Despite the denials, Platner said in a video that he is taking “time to reflect on the best path forward” with his candidacy.
On Monday, Politico reported that a former girlfriend of Platner, Jenny Racicot, 41, of Maine, is alleging that in 2021, Platner showed up at her home unannounced and drunk.She told the publication that Platner had forced himself on her.
“I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me,” Racicot told Politico.“I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’”Platner flatly denied the allegations and his campaign called them orchestrated and part of a broader “smear” effort against him.
“These allegations are troubling, serious, and false.Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue,” Platner said in the statement.
He also released a video denying the report, calling the Racicot’s account “categorically false.”In the video statement, Platner seemed to indicate his candidacy was in question saying that “regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting,” he was “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.” The campaign released a similar statement.“These allegations are very serious and Graham vigorously denies them.
They are also coached and coordinated by out of state establishment operatives,” the campaign’s statement read.NBC News did not independently verify the report and through a representative, Racicot did not ...