Sen. John Fetterman escalated his criticism of embattled Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner on Wednesday, challenging the progressive Democrat to release messages he allegedly exchanged with multiple women on a controversial anonymous messaging app — and offering an unusual personal concession in exchange.
“Let me make a deal. I’ll tell P-Hustle I’ll wear a suit every day, if he releases all those texts and messages that he’s had … [with] the dozen women,” the Pennsylvania Democrat told Fox News host Sean Hannity, referencing Mr. Platner’s username on the Kik platform. Mr. Fetterman is known for his trademark hoodies and casual dress, making the offer a pointed rhetorical jab.
Mr. Fetterman also questioned whether age verification on anonymous platforms like Kik could be trusted, asking, “Can P-Hustle prove how old these people are?” He argued that Mr. Platner should release the messages if he has nothing to hide.
Mr. Platner’s campaign previously acknowledged that the Kik account, created in 2016, belonged to the candidate, saying he deleted the app from his phone but never deactivated the account, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The Kik account has become a central flashpoint in what has grown into a cascade of controversies for Mr. Platner, the presumptive Democratic nominee challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine. Fox News Digital reported last week that the account remained active and featured a suggestive photo of Mr. Platner shirtless with a towel wrapped around his waist. The account uses the name Graham Platner and the handle associated with his Reddit and Instagram posts, and the profile was created in June 2016, when Mr. Platner was about 31 years old.
Mr. Fetterman has broken sharply from fellow Democrats who have continued to back Mr. Platner despite the mounting disclosures.
“As a Democrat, I’m never going to carry water for a guy that calls an American hero a dumb MFer, or someone that smears Chris Kyle,” Mr. Fetterman said on the Hannity program, referring to the late Navy SEAL. “He has said so many offensive things that it’s hard to keep up with it.”
The senator also drew a contrast between Mr. Platner’s past criticism of his famously casual wardrobe and the candidate’s own conduct.
“This is a guy that had a problem with me, how I dress, but he seemed to have no problem posing in a towel at a disgusting website that consistently had serious problems about that kinds of depravity,” Mr. Fetterman said.
The remarks track with comments Mr. Fetterman made earlier this week. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, he said he would never “carry water” for Mr. Platner and questioned the party’s continued support for the candidate, drawing a comparison to past Democratic controversies involving explicit messages.
Other Senate Democrats have been less willing to distance themselves. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York met with Mr. Platner on Tuesday and declared that Democrats are “ready to take on Susan Collins,” declining to address the controversies. Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona said the sexting allegations would not decide the race, pointing instead to voters’ concerns about the cost of housing, groceries and fuel.
Mr. Platner led Ms. Collins by nine points in a recent University of New Hampshire poll and by seven points in a Pan Atlantic Research poll. The Maine Democratic primary is scheduled for Tuesday.
Beyond the Kik controversy, Mr. Fetterman’s remarks addressed a broader array of issues that have dogged Mr. Platner’s campaign, including a collection of inflammatory Reddit posts, a video in which he appeared to accuse Mr. Kyle of inflating his statistics by killing civilians, and a Nazi Totenkopf tattoo he has since covered. Protesters gathered outside the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee headquarters earlier this week carrying signs reading “Delete your KIK” and “Platner is a fraud.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont has defended Mr. Platner, telling reporters Monday that Democrats should focus on issues facing working families rather than Mr. Platner’s marriage. Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Mr. Schumer have also endorsed his bid. Ms. Collins has represented Maine in the Senate since 1997.
Mr. Platner has offered explanations for some of the controversies, saying he got the Totenkopf tattoo in 2007 without knowing its Nazi association and stating he was “having a difficult time settling into society” after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
This article was constructed with the assistance of artificial intelligence and published by a member of The Washington Times’ AI News Desk team. The contents of this report are based solely on The Washington Times’ original reporting, wire services, and/or other sources cited within the report. For more information, please read our AI policy or contact Steve Fink, Director of Artificial Intelligence, at sfink@washingtontimes.com
The Washington Times AI Ethics Newsroom Committee can be reached at aispotlight@washingtontimes.com.
