{"id":2611133,"date":"2026-06-05T15:04:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T19:04:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/guy-benson-rips-nyt-over-platner-story-exs-claims-were-selectively-reported\/"},"modified":"2026-06-05T15:05:08","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T19:05:08","slug":"guy-benson-rips-nyt-over-platner-story-exs-claims-were-selectively-reported","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/guy-benson-rips-nyt-over-platner-story-exs-claims-were-selectively-reported\/","title":{"rendered":"Guy Benson rips NYT over Platner story: Ex\u2019s claims were selectively reported"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fguy-benson-rips-nyt-over-platner-story-exs-claims-were-selectively-reported%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2611133&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Washington Examiner columnist Guy Benson criticized a recent New York Times report about alleged unsettling behaviour by Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, arguing the story\u2019s content, sourcing, and timing were mishandled. Speaking on Fox News,Benson said there\u2019s \u201cconfusion and betrayal\u201d about what was included versus what was not,and noted the report was published just days before the June 9 Maine <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/top-republican-leader-slams-marjorie-taylor-greene-a-cancer-for-the-republican-party\/\" title=\"Top Republican Leader Slams Marjorie Taylor Greene: A \u2018Cancer For The Republican Party...\">primary election<\/a>-when Platner is facing current Sen. Susan Collins.<\/p>\n<p>Benson said he knows one of the women quoted and contended that she, Lyndsey Fifield, had provided sources that could corroborate the account, but that the Times called parts \u201cnobody could corroborate.\u201d Fifield also accused the paper of using out-of-context quotes and <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >downplaying supporting details<\/a>. She claimed journalists asked her not to speak with other outlets and felt the reporting violated the trust she placed in them.<\/p>\n<p>Benson further argued Platner\u2019s credibility is undermined, pointing to evidence Fifield allegedly provided about his Nazi-symbol tattoo (the Totenkopf) during military service, which Platner has said he didn\u2019t understand. Benson suggested that if Platner lied about the tattoo,it raises questions about his truthfulness in the broader allegations made by the women in the report.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Washington Examiner <\/em>columnist <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/author\/guy-benson\/\">Guy Benson<\/a> ripped the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/nyt\/\"><em>New York Times<\/em><\/a><em> <\/em>over its Thursday report detailing disturbing accounts from several of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/maine\/\">Maine<\/a> Senate candidate <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/graham-platner\/\">Graham Platner\u2019s<\/a> ex-girlfriends.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere is a sense of confusion and betrayal right now about the nature of this report, what was included and what was not,\u201d Benson said on Fox News\u2019s <em>America\u2019s Newsroom <\/em>Friday.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4596705\/janeese-lewis-george-out-of-line-dc-voters-youth-curfew-poll\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Janeese Lewis George out of line with majority of DC voters on youth curfew: Poll<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4595979\/rahm-emanuel-bike-tour-new-hampshire-2028\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Rahm Emanuel kicks tires on White House\u00a0bid with bike tour of New Hampshire<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4594352\/midterm-countdown-expensive\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Midterm Countdown: The most expensive midterm ever?<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Benson said he knows one of the women in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/06\/04\/us\/politics\/platner-maine-senate-girlfriends-relationships.html\">report<\/a>, Lyndsey Fifield, through a friend group. <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fifield recalled Platner\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sickening-woman-accused-of-killing-3-year-old-laughs-as-charges-are-read-to-her\/\" title=\"Disturbing: Woman Laughs While Being Charged with Murder of 3-Year-Old\">unsettling behavior<\/a> from when they dated. The <em>New York Times <\/em>identified her as a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/conservatives\/\">conservative<\/a>, and said she recalled him as \u201ccavalierly contemptuous of women\u2019s emotions, of our \u2018weakness,\u2019\u201d according to the report.<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: inline-block; width: 100%; max-width: 640px; min-height: 180px; max-height: 360px; overflow: hidden;\">\n<div style=\"position: relative; width: 100%; padding-top: 56.25%;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/share.grabien.com\/share?id=3561664&#038;userid=11311&#038;usertype=user&#038;loginid=10455&#038;playercolor=%23000000&#038;playersize=auto&#038;code=69ed080c2732dcb200e825651fa2da87\" style=\"position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; border: 0px;\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fifield fired back at the paper for downplaying the story by posting <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/lyndseyfifield\/status\/2062808677451481364\">on X<\/a> Friday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhy does it say \u2018nobody could corroborate\u2019 when I offered them sources that COULD corroborate?\u201d Fifield said. \u201cWhy did they include an out of context quote from a friend joking \u2018do not call Graham\u2019 after I called off my wedding? (Because she knew I would never).\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhere were the screenshots they\u2019d said they would use? Or the mention that I\u2019d supported local democrats and that most of my family (and husband) are liberal?\u201d she continued. \u201cThe editors said it was too much, they explained.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She also said the <em>New York Times<\/em> journalists <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4596470\/platner-accuser-lyndsey-fifield-new-york-times-journalists-twisted-story-help-campaign\/\">\u201ctwisted this into a gift to the Platner campaign.<\/a> Violating the trust of his victims. Shattering the trust I placed in them with the most vulnerable story of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Anyone who has ever extracted themselves from a relationship with a narcissistic abuser knows it isn\u2019t clean or easy. <\/p>\n<p>I cringe remembering how many times I tried to play the \u201ccool girl\u201d or fawn in response to what was clearly abusive, coercively controlling behavior by Graham.\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Lyndsey Fifield (@lyndseyfifield) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/lyndseyfifield\/status\/2062808677451481364?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 5, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I bucked all advice from my friends (and resisted my conservative bias) and decided to fully trust the Times journalists.<\/p>\n<p>As they left my home they asked that I not talk to any other outlets and I insisted then and repeatedly over the following weeks that I would keep my word\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Lyndsey Fifield (@lyndseyfifield) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/lyndseyfifield\/status\/2062808679829704815?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 5, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Benson noted that the timing of the report\u2019s release is concerning as well, as it was published just days before Maine\u2019s primary election, where he faces current Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/susan-collins\/\">Susan Collins<\/a> (R-ME).<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Benson argued that this information from the <em>New York Times<\/em> should have been released earlier. The report said the interview happened \u201cover the past two months.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He also called out the Platner campaign for saying, \u201cLet\u2019s be very clear: This is a lifelong <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republican-party\/\">GOP<\/a> operative who\u2019s dedicated her career to electing <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republicans\/\">Republicans<\/a>,\u201d as a way to diminish Fifield, despite the fact that other women identified in the report are <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democrats\/\">Democrats<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Benson said Fifield gave \u201cdocumentary evidence\u201d against Platner and the controversy surrounding his<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3858840\/maine-senate-graham-platner-nazi-tattoo\/\"> Nazi tattoo.<\/a> During his military service, Platner got a <em>Totenkopf<\/em> tattoo, which is a Nazi symbol. He claimed he had no idea what it meant.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=uMnc4ddc7j4\">interview with Tommy Vietor of <em>Pod Save America<\/em><\/a>, Platner said, \u201cI am not a secret Nazi.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the <em>New York Times <\/em>report, Fifield said Platner had to have known what it meant, because he was the one who taught her the word for it when they were dating.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She said he referred to it as, \u201cmy <em>Totenkopf<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat an obvious lie that he has been caught red-handed, and I would just submit with some of these other rumors about what has been alleged against him by other women,\u201d Benson said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4596468\/republicans-pour-3-million-susan-collins-campaign-graham-platner-support-stalls\/\"><strong>BLOOD IN THE WATER: REPUBLICANS POUR $3 MILLION INTO SUSAN COLLINS CAMPAIGN AS GRAHAM PLATNER\u2019S SUPPORT STALLS AFTER SCANDALS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf you are willing to lie about the Nazi death camp tattoo on your heart, you might be willing to lie about virtually anything,\u201d he added. \u201cI think our assessment of his credibility and truthfulness should be weighed against that, just as our assessment of Lyndsey\u2019s truthfulness and the other women should be weighed against the evidence they provide, apparently, to the <em>New York Times,<\/em> some of which got into the story, some of which did not.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Maine primary <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/elections\/\">election<\/a> will be held on June 9.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Guy Benson blasts NYT over confused, belated reporting on Maine GOP candidate Graham Platner<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4226,"featured_media":2611134,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/platner1.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[56439,69766,51059,4902,79894],"class_list":["post-2611133","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-media-bias-2","tag-media-criticism-2","tag-nytimes","tag-opinion","tag-public-debate-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/platner1.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2611133","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4226"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2611133"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2611133\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2611137,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2611133\/revisions\/2611137"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2611134"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2611133"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2611133"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2611133"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}