Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) expressed skepticism about the sexual assault allegations against Maine's Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner during an appearance on "The View," stating she recognizes what "political hit jobs" look like.
Allegations Surface
On Monday, Politico published a report detailing claims by Jenny Racicot, an ex-girlfriend of Platner's, who alleged he sexually assaulted her in 2021 after arriving uninvited at her home while "deeply intoxicated." Platner has denied the allegations but has paused his campaign to "take time to reflect on the best way forward," according to a post on X.
As of the time of writing, Platner has not officially ended his campaign despite widespread calls for him to drop out.
Greene's Remarks on 'The View'
During Tuesday's episode, host Sunny Hostin confronted Greene about a now-deleted post on X concerning the allegations. In the post, Greene wrote, "If you are raped or sexually assaulted, report it immediately. Don't wait years later until the man runs for office to go to news outlets to tell your story. And if you had consensual sex with him years ago, don't turn it into rape for politics with conflicting stories."
Greene claimed she was unfamiliar with Platner before the allegations emerged. "You know, I don't know anything about his policies. I just started learning about him yesterday when I saw this blow up. However, I do know what establishment political hit jobs look like," she said.
Greene, a former ally of President Donald Trump who has since distanced herself from the Republican Party over its handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, questioned the timing of Racicot's allegations while affirming her support for sexual assault survivors.
"I really wish women — when a woman is raped, it's extremely serious. And I stand behind women that are raped — and I ended my political career on that, by the way — and I wish women would come forward," said Greene. "The most important thing a woman can do is come forward and report a rape, not report it years later when someone is running for office."
Platner's Campaign and Prior Scandals
Greene later suggested that Platner's political fate should be decided by Maine voters. "Democrat voters in Maine voted for Graham Platner knowing he had this Nazi tattoo, knowing he had scandals — not this scandal — so he did win his primary, and I think the Maine voters should be able to work that out, I really do," she said.
Platner's candidacy had been marred by controversy prior to the sexual assault allegations. He previously faced scrutiny for a skull tattoo associated with Nazi symbolism, a history of offensive Reddit posts, and accusations of sexting multiple women other than his wife.
Need help? Visit RAINN's National Sexual Assault Online Hotline or the National Sexual Violence Resource Center's website.
