Cenk Uygur Defends Graham Platner After 2021 Rape Allegation Sparks Democratic Revolt
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 8
Cenk Uygur Defends Graham Platner After 2021 Rape Allegation Sparks Democratic Revolt
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 8
Summary
Cenk Uygur on Tuesday accused mainstream outlets of “politically assassinating” Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, a day after Politico published a former girlfriend’s allegation that he raped her in 2021.
Platner denied the claim in a campaign video, calling any accusation of nonconsensual behavior “categorically false” and saying his team was reflecting on the best path forward.
Bernie Sanders said he had urged Platner to step aside, while Reps. Ro Khanna and Rashida Tlaib and Sen. Ruben Gallego were among Democrats pulling back support.
The new allegation deepened an already damaged campaign that had faced earlier abuse claims and scrutiny over Platner’s Nazi-symbol tattoo, controversies that had not previously broken his core backing.
Uygur framed the backlash as an establishment effort tied to Platner’s anti-Israel, anti-corporate PAC politics and warned Democrats against replacing him with a more mainstream candidate.