Rep. Ro Khanna from California spoke on Friday regarding Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner. Khanna suggested that Platner should apologize to the women who revealed unsettling experiences they had with him. In an NBC News interview, Khanna expressed disapproval of the alleged behavior that three women recounted to The New York Times about their past interactions with Platner.
Khanna acknowledged Platner’s attempts at redemption. When asked if Platner should extend an apology, Khanna concurred. He admitted, “I think he should apologize. I believe what he did was wrong, was misogynistic, was toxic or volatile.” Khanna emphasized the importance of addressing misogynistic culture by issuing an apology.
The allegations include accounts from three former girlfriends who described Platner’s behavior as “toxic” and “unsettling.” One woman, Lyndsey Fifield, detailed a specific incident where Platner allegedly “twisted her arm behind her back, shoved her into a bedroom, and held the door closed from the other side to keep her there until she was ‘calm.’” Platner denied parts of these allegations, particularly that he had been physically abusive.
In an interview with MS NOW, Platner refuted claims of physical abuse. He argued, “Anything alleging physicality, anything alleging that I knew what my tattoo was, these are the statements of someone who’s politically motivated.” Fifield has associations with conservative groups and Republican campaigns.
Khanna, a significant national figure, has continued to support Platner even after the allegations surfaced. He stood by Platner at a public event alongside other candidates for governor and congress. Khanna stated, “He understood that those years that he came back were not the best years of his life. Then he, unlike others, took accountability for it. And he’s worked to be a better man, a better human being.”
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