Graham Platner Issues NDAs as Campaign Faces Intense Scrutiny

Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner is responding to escalating campaign turmoil by distributing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to his staff. This move follows mounting scrutiny over his past social media activity, particularly his Reddit posts, which have resurfaced amidst the ongoing campaign for the Senate seat in Maine.

The situation intensified after the resignation of Genevieve McDonald, Platner’s former political director, in October. McDonald claimed that NDAs began circulating shortly after her departure. She stated, “The campaign offered me $15,000 to sign an NDA. I did not accept the offer… I quit my job to work on Platner’s campaign, believing it was something different than it is.”

According to a report from Politico, the Platner campaign has characterized the payout to McDonald as standard severance. A spokesperson explained that they recently engaged Spruce Street Consulting to improve campaign compliance, leading to a series of standard practices being implemented. The campaign clarified that they do not require previous staff to sign NDAs retroactively.

The NDAs reportedly began to circulate after Platner faced backlash for his past Reddit activity. Notably, he has expressed regret for having a tattoo of an alleged Nazi symbol and for posts that included inflammatory comments about police and the necessity of violence for social change.

The NDA document was sent electronically to McDonald by Victoria Perrone, a political compliance specialist associated with Spruce Street. Perrone confirmed Platner as a client but declined to provide additional comments to Politico. Notably, the NDA was voided by the campaign shortly after Politico inquired about the NDAs, raising questions about the timing of this action.

In a strategic shift, Platner has appointed Kevin Brown, a seasoned campaigner with experience in the administrations of former President Barack Obama and Senator Elizabeth Warren, to serve as his new campaign manager. This appointment is part of an effort to stabilize the campaign, which has faced increasing negative attention.

The once-promising campaign is now overshadowed by reports of Platner’s controversial online history, which coincides with Janet Mills, the Democratic governor of Maine, entering the primary race to challenge Republican Senator Susan Collins.

While Platner’s campaign has not yet issued a formal response to requests for comment from various media outlets, the unfolding situation signals significant challenges ahead as he attempts to regain momentum in his Senate bid.