CNN’s K-File Calls Out One ‘Democratic Senator in Particular’ For Dismissing Conservative Platner Accuser

Screenshot via CNN

CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski, also known by the name of his investigative vertical K-File, called out Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) on Thursday as being one “Democratic senator in particular” who should be asked about why he dismissed abuse allegations against Graham Platner from a conservative woman.

Kaczynski made the comments in a social media thread, replying to Semafor’s ace political journalist Dave Weigel, who was commenting on the race to replace Platner as the Democrats’ U.S. Senate candidate in Maine.

“Jackson’s biggest immediate problem is how much video there is of him and Platner praising each other (Jackson was the first gov candidate to endorse him) so… idk maybe 3D chess to get word out that Platner prefers this septuagenarian legislator,” wrote Weigel on X, referring to former Maine state Sen. Troy Jackson (D) who announced he’d like to replace Platner on the ballot.

Kaczynski replied, arguing that Lyndsey Fifield’s allegations of domestic abuse in an early June New York Times report were credible and should have been enough for Democrats to stop tying themselves to Platner at that time.

“Lyndsey was always credible – all of her information about the tattoo completely checked out. And she had receipts to back it up — text messages and acquaintances who she said she told them about the tattoo time. And you have a lot of people who sure went out on a limb for him after that NYT story,” Kaczynski wrote.

He then shared a June 4th post from NOTUS Senate reporter Igor Bobic, which read:

Dem Sen. Whitehouse says he’s “not impressed” by the allegations against Graham Platner in the latest NYT report.

“Seems like a lot of nothing. I mean, the only one who had anything to say that seemed ‘unsettling’ was a woman who works for right-wing political operations.”

Kaczynski added, “This Democratic senator in particular should be asked if he regrets his comments because she didn’t have the right politics.” He later offered more clarity on why he thought Fifield’s allegations at the time were so credible, arguing that she also helped to shoot down Platner’s claim that he did not know his chest tattoo had Nazi ties – something she says he told her about in the past.

A social media user replied to Kaczynski, writing, “‘Didnt have the right politics’ is burying the lede dont you think? Working for many conservative activist and policy groups as well as with Susan Collins. That is going to give pause to anyone reading into the story.”

He replied, “I understand the hesitancy, but what she said about the tattoo was backed up by receipts and bolstered her credibility — she didn’t say just trust me on this on the tattoo she provided text messages and people she told about the tattoo at the time.”

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