Jenny Racicot, a woman who has made allegations of sexual assault against Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner, stated Monday that she rejects claims her accusations are politically motivated. Racicot told CNN's Jake Tapper that she decided to speak out because she believes "there are a lot of men in this world relying on the silence of women to be where they are, and I don't want to contribute to that."
Racicot acknowledged that she "couldn't disagree more" with those who suggest her allegations stem from political opposition, emphasizing that she shares Platner's political views. "I really agree with his politics. I think we need somebody with those political stances and who are willing to do the work," she said, adding, "I see his political videos. They get me fired up as well. I understand why people want someone like him in office, and I felt like me coming forward would essentially, potentially take that away."
Despite her allegations, Racicot indicated she would not necessarily advise people against voting for Platner. She also confirmed that by definition, she believes Platner raped her, a term she had not explicitly used when recounting the incident to Politico, which first reported the allegations. Racicot told Politico that the alleged incident occurred in 2021 when Platner was "almost blackout drunk."
She described Platner as being "really forceful" and grabbing her pelvis, stating, "I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’" Racicot also recalled Platner apologizing at times during the encounter before resuming his actions.
Platner's campaign released a video asserting that the allegations are "troubling, serious and false" and that "any accusation of nonconsensual behavior is categorically false." The campaign stated it was "taking the time to reflect on the best path forward" due to the "inaccuracy of the reporting."
Following the Politico report, several Democrats withdrew their endorsements of Platner, and the Maine Democratic Party called for him to withdraw from the Senate race. This is not the first controversy to involve Platner; his campaign has also faced scrutiny over a tattoo depicting a Nazi symbol. In June, The New York Times also published allegations from women who had dated Platner, including Racicot, though she did not detail the 2021 incident in that report.