Rep. Ro Khanna of California called on Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner to apologize to women who have accused him of disturbing behavior, even as the congressman campaigned on his behalf ahead of Tuesday's primary election.
Speaking to NBC News in Bar Harbor on Friday, Khanna said Platner's alleged conduct was "misogynistic" and "toxic or volatile." When pressed on whether a public apology would be warranted, Khanna agreed it should happen. "I think he should apologize," Khanna said. "I believe what he did was wrong. I know he's ashamed of it and I certainly think it would be appropriate to apologize and say how he now understands why it's important to stand up to a misogynistic culture."
The comments came after three former girlfriends described troubling incidents with Platner in recent reporting. One accuser, Lyndsey Fifield, said Platner twisted her arm behind her back, shoved her into a bedroom, and held the door closed while telling her to remain there until she was "calm." The other women characterized his behavior as toxic and unsettling during their relationships with him.
Platner has disputed aspects of the allegations. In an interview Thursday, he rejected claims of physical abuse and suggested the accusations were politically motivated. "Anything alleging physicality, anything alleging that I knew what my tattoo was, these are the statements of someone who's politically motivated," he said on MSNBC. Fifield has worked for conservative groups and Republican campaigns.
Khanna's appearance in Maine marked the most significant national endorsement Platner has received since the allegations surfaced. Later that day, addressing a crowd that included Platner and other Democratic candidates running for governor and Congress, Khanna struck a different note. He emphasized what he characterized as Platner's growth and willingness to own past mistakes.
"He understood that those years that he came back were not the best years of his life," Khanna told the crowd. "Then he, unlike others, took accountability for it. And he's worked to be a better man, a better human being."
Author Sarah Mitchell: "Khanna's message to Platner is muddled: condemn the behavior as wrong while vouching for redemption, then ask for an apology but show up and celebrate anyway."
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