A woman has come forward alleging that Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for US Senate in Maine, raped her in 2021 while they were in a casual dating relationship. Platner has denied the allegations, calling them “very serious” and stating that he “vigorously denies them”.

Allegations

The woman, Jenny Racicot, 41, claims that Platner entered her home without permission and forcibly had sex with her despite her repeated demands that he stop. She alleges that Platner was heavily intoxicated at the time and that she was able to smell alcohol on him. Racicot claims that she did not report the incident to authorities at the time and that she broke off contact with Platner soon after.

Racicot has stated that she did not have a political motive to come forward with her story and that she is a registered Democratic voter who supports many of Platner’s views. She claims that she is speaking out now to give a clearer picture of who Platner is and the type of past he has.

Response from Platner’s Campaign

Platner’s campaign has denied the allegations, stating that they are “very serious” and that Platner “vigorously denies them”. The campaign has also suggested that the allegations are politically motivated, pointing to the involvement of Cheyenne Hunt, a Democratic social media influencer and lawyer who has helped surface allegations of sexual assault against lawmakers and candidates.

Hunt has stated that she is not being paid by any campaigns and that she is motivated only by a desire to hold predatory men to account. She has also stated that she is committed to ensuring that there are no predators in power and that the state of Maine has a chance to elect a strong candidate who does not have a record of misogyny and violence against women.

Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.