Piker read the story aloud on his Twitch stream shortly after it was published. He read the portion of the report that cited Maine resident Jenny Racicot’s documents, emails with her therapist and messages to an acquaintance who warned about getting involved with Platner.
“That is curtains … That is the trifecta, OK? That is the trifecta of a reliable allegation. It’s –– holy s—. Personal firsthand testimony to a friend, a close confidante, back from way before Graham Platner ever f—ing ran for Congress, are you kidding me? And then also direct testimony to a therapist?” Piker said.
The streamer added that he believed the allegations against Platner. He said that there are verifiable aspects — including documentation — that support any credible allegation, saying it was “impossible to overlook” Racicot’s testimony.
Piker said people could have judged Platner’s character based on previous allegations about his past comments and behavior, referring to The New York Times article published in June that spoke with women Platner used to date
“But this is something beyond that … It’s irredeemable,” Piker added.
Politico reported earlier on Monday that Racicot accused Platner of forcing her to have sex with him while he was intoxicated in 2021.
Racicot recounted the 2021 incident to CNN’s Jake Tapper Monday night. She alleged that he was “heavily intoxicated” and that she pushed him away, knocking over belongings in her room. She said he “was aware that he was doing something wrong, yeah, saying, ‘Sorry.'”
She later said that she agrees with him politically and that she was “not mad at anyone who has voted for him all along,” and that “if he wasn’t who he was” she would vote for Platner as well.
“I understand that the state of our political environment is so much so that we need a lot of change, and he’s offering that change,” Racicot told Tapper.
Platner vehemently denied the allegations and emphasized the “inaccuracy of the reporting” by Politico while acknowledging that the latest scandal could threaten to impact his campaign.
He told supporters that he would take “the time to reflect on the best path forward” for Maine, the people he loves, his movement and “the goal of defeating” Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine).
Hours after Politico ran its story, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and End Citizens United pulled their endorsements for Platner. Florida Senate candidate Alex Vindman (D) and Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) also called for Platner to drop from the race.
The Maine Democratic Party called on Platner to withdraw as the party nominee, adding that the party is “entrusted with deciding who represents our values and who carries our banner.”
“Over the past several weeks, multiple women have made serious, credible allegations against Graham Platner,” Maine Democratic Party leaders said in a statement. “Today’s statements take those allegations even further.”
I had reservations about Platner ever since I learned about his stint as a Blackwater mercenary guarding Abu Ghraib prison, but most of the other allegations that had been made prior to this one were not disqualifying in my opinion. This one - without a doubt - is. I believe in redemption and restorative justice, but sexual assault is not something that can be forgiven just for an outward change of behavior. The damage done cannot be undone, and the mark left on one's character for having committed such a heinous act is irreversible. Someone like that might - after a long and difficult journey of change - be accepted back into a community, but never again in a position of trust. Given the reliability of the allegation and Platner's continued denial, it does not seem that he has even attempted that journey. He could start by withdrawing from the race, but unfortunately it may be too late to undo the damage he's done to the progressive cause he selfishly championed in Maine, and if Susan Collins wins he will be to blame.