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Platner Campaign Experiences Yet Another Shakeup in Staff

Platner Campaign Experiences Yet Another Shakeup in Staff

Photo: 560 WGAN Newsradio


There is another change of personnel in the Democratic U.S. Senate campaign of Graham Platner, which has been plagued by controversy.

The campaign has filed a change in its treasurer, replacing Washington-based consultant Victoria Perrone, who had joined Platner’s team just a couple of weeks earlier.

Platner has been trying to recover from previous controversial comments on Reddit and a tattoo resembling a Nazi Symbol.

The campaign has endured several departures, and Perrone was brought in after Platner’s Maine political director, Genevieve McDonald, resigned over the Reddit posts.

Platner’s finance director, Ronald Holmes, publicly resigned Friday with a post on LinkedIn stating his “professional standards as a campaign professional no longer fully aligned with those of the campaign.”

In addition, Platner’s campaign manager and longtime friend, Kevin Brown, resigned after several days on the job October 27th, saying that he and his wife had learned she was pregnant.

The campaign’s latest change announced Ben Martello as his new treasurer through a filing Friday with the Federal Election Commission.

Platner’s previous controversial comments on Reddit include stating he was a communist, a post saying “all cops are bastards” and a statement that white, rural Americans are racist and stupid. He also revealed last month that he had a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, but said he didn’t know the meaning of the tattoo until recently, and had it covered.

Platner is running to take on Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins for her seat next year. He billed himself as an oyster farmer and military veteran from Hancock County. Platner has no political background and generated early high interest while raising more than $4 million through early October.

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