Platner Strategist Admits Campaign Vetting Failures

Morris Katz, who recruited and served as lead strategist for former Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner, said the campaign mishandled warning signs and should have treated them as disqualifying. Katz cited Platner's past Reddit posts, a reported Nazi-linked tattoo, and reports of troubling behavior, while saying the campaign's vetting did not capture the full extent of material that later emerged. Platner withdrew in July after a former partner alleged rape, which he denies, leaving Maine Democrats to choose a candidate against Republican Sen. Susan Collins.