Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s silver-spoon socialist adviser, Morris Katz, rushed over to beleaguered Graham Platner’s house Wednesday as they plotted how to remain a powerbroker in the Senate race — enraging Democrats.
The gathering included Platner’s top campaign brass in addition to Katz, who is trying to hatch a plan for Platner to “remain a voice” in the Senate contest “no matter what” the accused rapist decides, a source familiar with deliberations told The Post.
Platner has so far refused to step down as Maine’s Democratic Senate nominee after he was accused of rape by an ex-girlfriend — with the clock ticking on a Monday deadline.
His intransigence has left Maine Democrats “livid” and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) “in shock,” according to the source.
“The fact that the NYC mayor’s fixer is headed there to triage Maine has everyone fuming,” the source added.
Allies of Platner argue that he formed a movement in Maine, touting the over 150,000 votes he notched in the primary, and deserves to remain influential.
Platner denies an allegations of rape or sexual assault.
Two sources say Katz has told allies he believes Platner should to leave the race before the 5 p.m. Monday deadline to withdraw from the ballot — but wants the exit to be on the candidate’s terms.
“It’s quite clear that he’s [Platner’s] gonna have to get out of the race,” a second source told The Post. “Their reluctance here … is a result of their larger political project, trying to get these types of candidates into places of power.”
Other campaign officials seen entering Platner’s Sullivan home include field director Spencer Toth, digital communications consultant Ryan Aquilina, campaign manager Ben Chin, and Chin’s deputy Eleni Neyland.
Some of them were seen with backpacks amid expectations that they will have to film a video message from Platner.
The Platner campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Here’s the latest on the bombshell sexual assault allegations against lefty Senate candidate Graham Platner:
- Accused rapist Graham Platner convenes crisis meetings with Maine Senate campaign brass as he holds ‘livid’ Dems hostage
- Graham Platner trying to put ‘thumb on the scale’ as Maine Democrats look for replacement Senate candidate, state party claims
- Graham Platner rape claims finally force top Dems to make pathetic U-turn: ‘My kind of man’
- Graham Platner’s ex-girlfriend alleges Maine Dem would sneakily pull off condoms during sex
Not long after the meeting convened, Chin reportedly sent out a text blast to Platner’s supporters seeking feedback for the oyster farmer and the Democratic Party.
“[Y]esterday, the Maine Democratic Party said that our movement will ‘have no role in determining our next Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, nor in determining what this process looks like,'” he fumed in the text blast. “Both the state and national parties cut our team, our volunteers, and our vast networks of supporters out of the conversation completely.”
“We firmly believe that the supporters and volunteers who built this movement deserve to have a real role in any nomination process.”
On Monday, Platner announced in a video message that he was “taking the time to reflect on the best path forward” after a former girlfriend, Jenny Racicot, told Politico that he entered her home without permission and raped her in the dead of night in 2021.
Platner has denied Racicot’s accusations as “categorically false.”
If and when Platner does drop out, he is expected to announce his exit in a similar video message, CNN reported.
Following Racicot’s allegation, Platner’s most prominent backers — including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) — publicly called on him to step aside.
Key financial and logistical backers, including the DSCC, have vowed to stay out of the race if Platner refuses to withdraw.
Under Maine law, Platner must withdraw of his own volition by close of business July 13 to be removed from the ballot. From that point, Democrats will have exactly two weeks to name a replacement.
State party officials are scrambling to develop a process to pick a new nominee, even toying with an ad hoc convention that is likely to be dominated by Platner supporters.
The Post reported Tuesday that the candidate himself wants assurances that any replacement will share his far-left ideology.
“[T]he Maine Democratic Party has been working around the clock to develop a process to replace our US Senate nominee that is open, inclusive, transparent and fair,” MDP Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson said in a video posted on X late Tuesday.
“Unfortunately, Graham Platner’s team has repeatedly reached out to us in an attempt to put their thumb on the scale of what this process looks like.
“We have repeatedly reiterated to Graham Platner’s team that they have no role in determining our next Democratic nominee for the US Senate, nor in determining what this process looks like.”
Platner’s team denied trying to meddle in the process, with a spokesperson saying in a statement: “The Platner campaign has reached out to the party to try and understand what this process would look like.
“At no point has the campaign tried to ‘put its finger on the scale.”
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