‘MeToo’ Democrats are staying mum on the Platner scandal while Schumer sets out to do damage control
Top female Congressional Dems who have built careers advocating for victims of abuse are conspicuously silent about scarred Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner — even as Minority Leader Chuck Schumer tries to contain the damage before the party loses a medal to win the field this fall.
Hero Lefty Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-Queens/Bronx) – a self-confessed survivor of sexual assault – did not say anything about Platner’s alleged girlfriend abuse, his sexting with other women while married, or his dreams about rapists.
“I have to read more about this latest reporting,” a team member quipped, when asked about Platner. “I don’t want to talk until I find out what is there.
Left-wing Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) downplayed questions about whether party leaders should step in and “put in” the mess involving Platner — who was accused in a New York Times story of physically abusing and locking an ex-girlfriend in a bedroom.
“What are the umpires? It’s the people of Maine,” Warren told The Post, days after joining a meeting of club elders who grilled Platner about any other possible revelations.
Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) told the men of the country to “just shut up and raise” and “do the right thing to change” when Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was surrounded by high school assault allegations during his 2018 confirmation hearing.
But Platner, who is trying to unseat longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
“It’s up to the voters that the people of Maine will have to decide what they think about these things,” he said.
“From Maine to Mainers — I don’t think so,” said Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), who sought answers about a “decade” of sexual harassment in the US Coast Guard.
“I think that sexual misconduct is wrong, no matter who’s doing it, but it’s up to the voters to decide,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).
“Political industries control the conflict — conscience doesn’t matter anymore,” said longtime political consultant Hank Sheinkopf, who accused lawmakers of holding water for Platner.
He called the AOC “the biggest hopscotch player in American politics” after his office declined to comment further on Platner’s allegations.
Schumer had hired 78-year-old Gov. Janet Mills to run, a move that initially drew criticism as the party sought a new face that could sway voters who supported President Trump last time.
“He was on to something. He understands that Platner can cost them anything to get the majority back. [Platner] it may be in national advertisements,” warns Sheinkopf.
Platner and Collins were tied in Friday’s GOP primary. Mills has suspended his campaign, but will still be on the ballot in Tuesday’s primary.
The situation has some Democrats angry.
Platner “can’t take a heat lamp, let alone be really public. … To top Democratic strategists this is, ‘I told you so’ and you’re ready for more,'” said one senior Senate aide.
Now Democrats are faced with spending millions to try to “rehabilitate” Platner, according to an aide, who said left-leaning lawmakers who supported Platner are “all quiet — because it’s like, maybe we shot ourselves in the foot here.”
Platner “has got everything to gain by moving forward and nothing to gain by leaving,” one Democratic Alliance official told The Post.
“I don’t know what they can do. Either they convince him if s–t is more serious than what we see, to get out. Or they go along.”
Platner has denied that he abused any elderly people and called the latest allegations against him “politically motivated.”
At least one Senate Democrat has spoken out about the allegations.
“These allegations are very concerning. And I think the people of Maine deserve answers,” said Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. “And this kind of abuse is something that should be taken very seriously.”
