2:14Graham Platner joins the contest to compete against Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.Courtesy of Graham for Maine
Graham Platner, an armed forces veteran of the U.S. and a shellfish cultivator vying for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Maine, is disavowing himself from contentious online messages where, among other things, he referred to himself as a "communist" and intimated that certain political opposition should involve weapons in a sequence of posts, now eliminated, that date back to 2010.
CNN initially broke the story regarding the messages posted on Reddit. In a conversation with ABC News, Platner verified that the account, with the handle P-Hustle, belonged to him.
In one post from 2018 that has since been taken down, Platner stated that if individuals "anticipate resisting fascism without a suitable semi-automatic rifle, they should engage in some historical study," as reported by Politico.
Graham Platner enters race to challenge Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.Courtesy of Graham for Maine
During a telephone interview with ABC News on Friday, Platner expressed regret for his wording and clarified that they are not reflective of his present self.
He largely attributed his harsh language to sentiments related to post-traumatic stress stemming from his return from battle in the Middle East, claiming he felt disconnected from any community and troubled by his experiences abroad.
“I don't recall writing most of these things. You know, I messed around on the internet for quite a while,” Platner remarked, further stating that he “had profound feelings of betrayal, because of the wars that I participated in, and I'd become thoroughly disenchanted about. And I wrestled for some time with where I belong, feeling greatly estranged from society. And, akin to numerous others, I turned to the internet seeking answers, and I engaged in what many individuals do, which involves posting online, getting into arguments and squabbles, and articulating foolish things.”
Platner mentioned he feels ashamed by the posts, which encompass “language that I haven’t employed in a number of years.”
Platner added that particular coarse humor was “fundamental” in his infantry units. “It was simply an integral part of your existence,” he expressed.
In at least one message, Platner hinted at the military’s involvement in concealing hypothetical sexual assault instances, according to coverage by the Washington Post.
He retracted these remarks during the ABC News interview, noting the infantry can be an "extremely misogynistic environment" and mentioning he seldom served alongside women.
“I was commenting on it as though I possessed knowledge when I clearly did not,” Platner explained. “I said things such as the military wouldn’t cover up sexual assault. Obviously, it would. It did. It has for quite some time. I simply hadn’t encountered that during my time in service.”
In 2021, based on CNN’s reporting, Platner replied to a discussion about individuals becoming more politically conservative as they age by writing: "I aged and became a communist."
Platner stated on Friday that he does not subscribe to communism; instead, he identifies as a working-class populist. He added that he was jokingly exaggerating the label to mock those who might label him as such due to his populist political views.
“I’m a small business proprietor and a Marine Corps Veteran. I'm the harbormaster … I'm not a communist,” he declared. “There’s an element of, like, I am clearly not that, but they're going to call me that regardless.”
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
