Maine Democrat Senate candidate Graham Platner is facing yet more scrutiny after archived social media posts surfaced containing graphic remarks, controversial political statements, and comments about military veterans.
The posts, recovered from Platner’s former Reddit account and reviewed by multiple outlets, remained accessible through internet archives despite efforts to remove much of his online activity. Among the material drawing attention was a response Platner posted in 2014 to an online discussion asking users to share offensive jokes.
Under the username P-Hustle, Platner responded to a Reddit prompt asking users to share “the most f*cked up, jaw-dropping, offensive joke you know?”
Platner replied with a joke that referenced incest, bestiality, and necrophilia.
“I was eating out my grandmother and it tasted like horse cum,” Platner wrote. “So that’s how she died…”
Additional archived posts showed Platner making sexually explicit remarks in various online discussions. In one thread, he wrote about associating the smell of portable toilets with masturbation. In another, he praised a drawing of male genitalia using graphic language.
One of the posts that generated significant attention dated back to 2013, when Platner weighed in on a discussion thread titled “shorts that prevent you from being raped.”
Responding to the post, Platner said:
Holy fuck, how about people just take some responsibility for themselves and not get so fucked up they wind up having sex with someone they don’t mean to? Men and women, you make a choice to consume enough of a substance to lose your self control. So if you don’t want to be in a comprising situation, act like an adult for fucks sake.
The recovered comments extend beyond sexual content. Platner also discussed his political beliefs on the platform, including describing his path toward communism. Other posts expressed support for Hamas’s military tactics and included remarks directed at a recipient of the Purple Heart that critics viewed as hostile toward wounded veterans.
Separate reports have highlighted an account bearing a username similar to Platner’s on the messaging application Kik. The platform has previously faced criticism by child-protection advocates and anti-exploitation organizations over its use by online predators. The profile reportedly featured a photograph of a man identified as Platner wearing only a towel.
Platner’s campaign has faced repeated scrutiny over allegations involving his personal conduct and past relationships. Lyndsey Fifield, a former partner, accused Platner of physically aggressive behavior during their time together. According to her account, he allegedly gripped her with enough force to leave bruises, confined her to a room following a dispute, and forcibly removed her from a taxi by pulling her wrists.
Separate reports alleged that Platner exchanged sexually explicit communications with multiple women during the first years of his marriage. Questions also arose over a tattoo previously displayed on Platner’s body that featured the Totenkopf, a symbol historically associated with Nazi organizations. Platner later obscured the tattoo with new artwork.
Despite his controversies, Platner remains competitive in the race and even secured the Democrat nomination for the U.S. Senate earlier this month and is set to challenge incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in November. Collins, a Republican, has represented Maine in the Senate since 1997.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.