Graham Platner makes his case to Senate Democrats amid latest controversy |
Graham Platner makes his case to Senate Democrats amid latest controversy
Democratic Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner met with Senate Democrats in Washington on Tuesday as he seeks to stem a wave of scandals and shore up support for his bid to flip a seat long at the top of Democrats’ wish list.
Platner is under fresh scrutiny after reports surfaced that he sent sexually explicit text messages to multiple women on the controversial messaging app Kik while married. His wife, Amy Gertner, reportedly discovered the texts and flagged them to Platner’s campaign last year.
The new revelations add to the list of details from Platner’s past that have dogged him for months, including a trove of since-deleted Reddit posts that surfaced last fall with controversial comments about Black people and sexual assault, among other subjects. He also drew criticism in October for a tattoo he had that resembled a Nazi symbol.
Tuesday’s meeting had been scheduled before the most recent controversy made the news, but the texting scandal overshadowed the visit.
A small group of Democratic senators met with Platner at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s (DSCC) headquarters in D.C. Attendees included DSCC Chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), and progressive Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who has consistently supported Platner, Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
Several lawmakers slipped in and out of the building, and Platner did not answer questions from reporters when leaving the meeting.
A group of about 20 protesters, some wearing towels around their waists — in reference to a reported Kik profile photo of Platner wearing a towel — demonstrated outside the building.
A number of other senators opted not to attend. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), with a child in tow, said his attendance would depend on whether he could get child care. Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) told The Hill he couldn’t attend because it was........