Graham Platner’s Senate campaign has come to an end after an ex-girlfriend accused him of rape. This development follows a series of scandals that have rocked the campaign, including Platner’s controversial posts on his deleted Reddit account and his alleged mistreatment of women.

Vetting Process Under Scrutiny

The campaign’s vetting process has been criticized for being rushed and inadequate. According to a source familiar with the early stages of the campaign, the vetting team had warned the campaign about the need for a more thorough background check, but these warnings were ignored. The firm that conducted the vetting process had limited investigators to a three-day review of Platner, which is an unusually short period for such a process.

The vetting process did turn up some concerning information, including Platner’s Reddit posts and details that cast doubt on his blue-collar image. However, the campaign did not allow the investigators to interview Platner, which is a crucial part of any thorough vetting process.

Consequences of Inadequate Vetting

The consequences of the campaign’s decision to ignore the vetting team’s warnings have been severe. Platner suspended his campaign after the rape allegation was made public, and he has since filed the paperwork necessary to officially withdraw from the election. The Democratic Party in Maine is now holding a nominating convention to replace Platner ahead of the July 13 deadline to remove him from the ballot.

The Platner campaign’s decision to commission an abridged vetting process has raised questions about the campaign’s judgment and priorities. The campaign paid just over $6,000 for its vetting, which is a fraction of the cost of a full background check. Given that Platner became one of the strongest Democratic fundraisers in the nation, bringing in over $16 million in contributions, it is unclear why the campaign did not seek out a more comprehensive vetting process.

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