Lyndsey Fifield, the first woman to publicly accuse former Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner of abuse, has sharply criticized Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse for his comments dismissing her allegations. Fifield stated she was "horrified by the dismissive comments" made by the Rhode Island Democrat.
Whitehouse, who previously championed accusations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, questioned the corroboration of Fifield's claims and pointed to her past work in politics. He reiterated these points on Wednesday.
"[Sen. Whitehouse], you rushed to publicly condemn me without bothering to get the facts right back in June," Fifield posted on X. "You had over a month to reflect on that mistake, but instead of apologizing or even admitting you were wrong, you chose to double down. How truly pathetic."
Fifield, who dated Platner from approximately 2013 to 2015, alleged he once yanked her out of a cab and, at another time, twisted her arm and locked her in a room. Platner has vehemently denied all accusations of physical abuse. Her claims were featured in a New York Times report detailing Platner's past relationships.
During an interview on CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper," Whitehouse stated, "When you’re looking at allegations … [you have] to evaluate things like whether there is corroboration, and with respect to the first accusation, there was none." He also suggested a motive to mislead, citing Fifield's involvement with conservative groups, some of which may have received funding from the Koch brothers, and her past political activities in Maine.
Fifield responded by clarifying her professional history. "I’ve never taken a dime from AIPAC or Koch. I shouldn’t need to say that," she wrote. "My LinkedIn is public. I haven’t worked ‘in politics’ since the beginning of 2023, when I was digital marketing director for [Nikki Haley]."
She further explained her decision to step away from political work, stating, "After having a miscarriage I made the difficult but correct decision to prioritize my family." She added that her current pursuits involve gardening and persuading her husband to allow her to get chickens.
The dispute highlights a contrast with Whitehouse's stance on the accusations against Justice Brett Kavanaugh. In 2018, Fifield co-founded the group Ladies for Kavanaugh. At the time, Whitehouse was a prominent Democratic voice supporting the accusations made by Christine Blasey Ford and others against Kavanaugh. The article notes that corroboration for Ford's claims was not definitively established, and witnesses she cited could not recall her meeting Kavanaugh.
In contrast, evidence such as images of Fifield and Platner together and private messages discussing his tattoos exist to show they met. Platner withdrew from the Maine Senate race earlier in July following the accusations, which he denies.