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Notes -
Slow news week. The current thing is still Graham Platner.
NYT: Several Women Who Dated Graham Platner Recall ‘Unsettling’ Behavior
That's right, the New York Times hunted down as many of Platner's ex-girlfriends as they could to dig up dirt on this guy. It would be an exaggeration to say that the entire article is irrelevant high school-tier personal gossip, but gee there sure is a lot of irrelevent personal gossip. The one anecdote with teeth comes from a woman active in Republican politics.
There are a lot of ways one could interpret those paragraphs.
Ladies, never ask your man what he would do to a home invader. Unless you're into that.
This article confirms my earlier suspicion that Platner is getting the kind of hostile media coverage usually reserved for Republicans. The elephant in the room is that this is because Platner likes Nazi imagery (it is beyond serious dispute at this point that he knew for years it was a totenkopf) and dislikes the state of Israel. I am 90% sure that both of the authors are Jewish. It feels icky to break out the calipers for this (though I am not basing my assessment solely on their names and faces. I was able to find old articles linking them to synagogues), but I really do think it is relevant.
Since the NY Times article linked in the parent post is paywalled, here is an AI summary of the article’s contents:
AI Generated Text Follows
Detailed Summary
This article examines allegations and personal accounts from several women who dated Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Maine. The story emerges amid growing scrutiny of Platner's personal history, including reports that he exchanged sexual messages with women while married, previous controversial online comments about women and rape, and questions surrounding a tattoo associated with Nazi symbolism.
Central Theme
The article presents a divided portrait of Platner. Some former partners describe him as kind, caring, and supportive, while others recount relationships they characterize as emotionally damaging, volatile, and, in one case, physically intimidating. The piece explores how these accounts complicate Platner's campaign narrative of personal redemption following struggles with PTSD, depression, and alcohol abuse after military service.
The Women Who Raised Concerns
The most critical accounts come from three women who were involved with Platner over extended periods.
Lyndsey Fifield
Lyndsey Fifield dated Platner between roughly 2013 and 2015 while both lived in the Washington, D.C., area.
She described the relationship as passionate but deeply unhealthy. According to Fifield:
While she explicitly stated that he never punched or hit her, she alleged several incidents involving physical force:
Platner's campaign strongly denied allegations of physical intimidation or abuse.
Fifield also described behavior that she found disturbing:
She recalled him saying that if someone broke into his home, he would rape them to establish dominance. The campaign did not directly dispute that he made such remarks.
Fifield said she came away from the relationship believing Platner held deeply misogynistic attitudes. Years later, she recorded in a diary that he was "the most toxic literally abusive man on earth who destroyed my life."
The article notes that Fifield is politically conservative and has worked with Republican-affiliated organizations. Platner's campaign emphasized this fact, suggesting political motivations. Fifield rejected that characterization, insisting she would speak out regardless of his party affiliation.
The Anonymous Maine Woman
A second woman, a Democrat from Maine who requested anonymity, described an on-and-off long-distance relationship with Platner that lasted for years.
Her description echoed themes raised by Fifield:
She summarized her experience by saying she felt like "collateral damage to the world that is his."
Although the article provides fewer specific allegations from this woman, her account reinforced the image of a man whose personal relationships were often chaotic and harmful.
Jenny Racicot
Jenny Racicot, a Maine Democrat, dated Platner intermittently between 2019 and 2021, a period that overlaps with what Platner describes as his post-trauma recovery phase.
Racicot said that revelations about Platner's past online comments regarding women did not surprise her.
According to her:
Although she declined to discuss details of that incident, she described the behavior as reckless and unsettling. Afterward, she ended contact with him.
Women Who Defended Platner
The article also includes testimony from women who had positive experiences with Platner.
Caroline Lemp
Caroline Lemp, who dated him briefly in 2013, described him as:
She called him a "gentle giant" and said she never saw signs of aggression or instability.
Two Anonymous Former Partners
Two additional former partners, interviewed through Platner's campaign, also offered favorable assessments.
They said:
These women support his Senate candidacy and reject the negative portrait painted by other former partners.
The Tattoo Controversy
A major section of the article focuses on Platner's controversial tattoo.
The tattoo is a skull-and-crossbones image known as the Totenkopf, historically associated with Nazi SS units.
Platner's Explanation
Platner has repeatedly said:
Fifield's Contradictory Account
Fifield strongly disputes this explanation.
She claims:
Platner's campaign categorically denied her account.
This dispute raises broader questions in the article about Platner's credibility and whether he has been fully transparent regarding the tattoo's origins and meaning.
Platner's Narrative of Recovery
Throughout his Senate campaign, Platner has framed his life story as one of struggle and redemption.
He has openly discussed:
According to his account:
The article acknowledges these efforts at recovery but questions whether his personal growth has been as complete as his campaign portrays.
Evidence of Continued Problems
The article points to more recent events suggesting ongoing issues.
Reddit Posts
Journalists reviewed more than 1,400 Reddit comments made by Platner between 2016 and 2021.
The posts reveal:
By 2021, he described himself as a socialist, gardener, and psychedelic user who no longer embraced the patriotic ideals that motivated him to enlist.
However, some of his older posts also contained remarks about women and rape that became politically damaging once uncovered during the campaign.
Dating-App Allegations
The article describes a 2024 discussion in a private Facebook group called "Are We Dating the Same Guy."
A woman posted that:
Multiple women reportedly responded, noting that he was married.
Racicot confirmed the discussion was genuine.
Marriage and Sexting Revelations
Further pressure on Platner's campaign emerged when reports revealed he had exchanged sexual messages with multiple women while married to Amy Gertner.
The revelations:
Platner acknowledged causing marital problems but disputed parts of the reporting.
Gertner publicly defended him, stating that while their marriage was imperfect, she wanted to remain married to him and support his candidacy.
Overall Conclusion
The article presents Graham Platner as a deeply polarizing figure whose personal history has become a major issue in his Senate campaign.
Supporters and some former partners describe him as compassionate, intelligent, and transformed by years of therapy and self-reflection after military service. However, several long-term former partners paint a darker picture, describing patterns of misogyny, emotional volatility, heavy drinking, infidelity, and, in one case, physical intimidation.
The reporting does not conclusively verify all allegations, and Platner disputes many of the most serious claims. Nevertheless, the accounts challenge his campaign's central message that his troubled years are entirely behind him. As Democrats view Maine's Senate race as strategically important, the controversy has intensified scrutiny of whether Platner's personal conduct aligns with the image of growth and redemption he has presented to voters.
Or, you know...
I’m amazed the article got captured, considering how NYTimes is putting up anti-archive filters.
The incentives are mixed, they want high circulation of their articles and they want people to pay for them, price discrimination not total lockout.
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