{"id":2626222,"date":"2026-07-07T17:39:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T21:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/platner-accuser-details-how-ny-times-manipulated-story-to-lessen-impact-it-was-by-design\/"},"modified":"2026-07-07T17:40:48","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T21:40:48","slug":"platner-accuser-details-how-ny-times-manipulated-story-to-lessen-impact-it-was-by-design","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/platner-accuser-details-how-ny-times-manipulated-story-to-lessen-impact-it-was-by-design\/","title":{"rendered":"Platner Accuser Details How NY Times Manipulated Story to Lessen Impact: &#8216;It Was By Design&#8217;"},"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\">30<\/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%2Fplatner-accuser-details-how-ny-times-manipulated-story-to-lessen-impact-it-was-by-design%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=2626222&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>An article reports that The New york Times intentionally downplayed its June investigation into Democratic Senate candidate Graham platner of Maine, who is accused of mistreating <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/83-year-old-convicted-murderer-out-on-parole-charged-with-killing-dismembering-womans-body-and-leaving-it-on-busy-street\/\" title=\"83-Year-Old Convicted Murderer Out On Parole Charged With Killing, Dismembering ...\u2019s Body And Leaving It On Busy Street\">past girlfriends<\/a>. One woman, Lyndsey Fifield, shared her experience of abusive behavior by Platner, including an incident where he forcibly held her in a room until she was \u201ccalm.\u201d Despite providing detailed evidence and multiple contacts to the newspaper, Fifield claims the Times failed to properly verify her account, claiming it &#8220;could not corroborate&#8221; her story, which she argues was false. Another woman, Jenny Racicot, alleges that Platner came to her drunk in 2021 and later raped her, claims that have further damaged his campaign. platner is now contemplating withdrawing from the race amid growing allegations. Fifield criticizes the NYT for manipulating the reporting process,asserting that they delayed and twisted her story,leading her to believe the article was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/irrefutable-and-completely-enraging-new-york-times-staffers-accuse-their-bosses-of-racism\/\" title=\"\u2018Irrefutable And Completely Enraging\u2019: New York Times Staffers Accuse Their Bosses Of Racism\">intentionally biased<\/a>,which she sees as a breach of trust and a betrayal of victims.  <\/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\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_0)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>The New York Times intentionally watered down its June report on Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner of Maine\u2019s mistreatment of past girlfriends, one of the women quoted in the report is alleging.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI actually understand why Democrat leaders didn\u2019t take our stories seriously when the Times reported them in June but are taking them seriously now. It was by design,\u201d Lyndsey Fifield wrote in a <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/lyndseyfifield\/status\/2074458074983596378\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">post published Tuesday morning<\/a> on the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >social media platform<\/a> X.<\/p>\n<p>Fifield, 40, who dated Platner from 2013 to 2015, summed up Platner by saying he was \u201ccavalierly contemptuous of women\u2019s emotions, of our \u2018weakness,\u2019\u201d according to the initial report in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/06\/04\/us\/politics\/platner-maine-senate-girlfriends-relationships.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The New York Times<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cDuring one argument, she recalled, he twisted her arm behind her back, shoved her into a bedroom and held the door closed from the other side so she couldn\u2019t get out, telling her to remain there until she was \u2018calm,\u2019\u201d the Times reported, noting that Fifield left the next morning after falling asleep in the room.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">I actually understand why Democrat leaders didn\u2019t take our stories seriously when the Times reported them in June but are taking them seriously now.<\/p>\n<p>It was by design.<\/p>\n<p>The line most d from the piece was the claim that the Times \u201ccould not corroborate\u201d my story despite\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Lyndsey Fifield (@lyndseyfifield) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/lyndseyfifield\/status\/2074458074983596378?\">July 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>  In that report, Jenny Racicot, 41, a Maine Democrat, said that in 2021, after she said she did not want him around, Platner came to her house drunk. The Times report said she \u201cdeclined to elaborate,\u201d but reported that \u201cshe cut off contact soon after that episode and found his behavior \u2018reckless\u2019 and \u2018unsettling.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2026\/07\/06\/graham-platner-sexual-assault-allegation-00987737\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Politico report<\/a> published Monday, Racicot elaborated. She said Platner not only came to her home, but claimed he raped her in her bedroom.<\/p>\n<p>The latest allegation has rocked <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/congressional-dems-pull-support-graham-platner-credible-rape-accusation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rocked Platner\u2019s campaign<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The 41-year-old one-time rising Democratic star <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/look-dems-suddenly-turning-platner-said-numerous-credible-disqualifying-scandals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">now says<\/a> he is \u201ctaking time to reflect on the best path forward\u201d for his political campaign.\u00a0 July 13 is the deadline for him to withdraw if the Democratic Party is going to be able to put another candidate in the Senate race, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msn.com\/en-us\/news\/politics\/when-is-deadline-for-democrats-to-replace-platner-in-maine-senate-race\/ar-AA27lb9u\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Hill<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In her post on X, Fifield wrote that the New York Times had all the information it needed to tell the whole story in June.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">More here on the NY Times negligence in reporting allegations of assault committed by Graham Platner. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/39v6zH9L7L\">https:\/\/t.co\/39v6zH9L7L<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Brit Hume (@brithume) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/brithume\/status\/2074475493408084244?\">July 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe line most d from the piece was the claim that the Times \u2018could not corroborate\u2019 my story despite talking to two of my friends. I gave them the contact information for five friends. They called the two who I clarified would not know about the abuse but would be able to affirm our relationship timeline, events, etc. They simply did not call the other three,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n<p>She wrote that she gave the newspaper the name of a former boyfriend, adding, \u201cThey said oh NO we don\u2019t need to bother HIM (or my priest). Besides, I had written about it in my diary in detail, they reassured. As the weeks dragged on I stopped trying to give them evidence because the amount I had already given them seemed to overwhelm them and I thought it meant they clearly had more than enough to verify my every claim.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy friends might not have known the details of the abuse, but they affirmed that yes, I had told them that he was abusive\u2014long before he ran for Senate. Besides, they assured, my part in their reporting would be small,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI thought my details would only serve to affirm Jenny and the other anonymous woman. Jenny and I \u2013 having never met or spoken \u2013 both d with these reporters terrifyingly similar details of intimate partner violence, coercive control, and cycles of abuse\/love bombing. The third unnamed woman in the story did as well. But tell me again how they \u2018could not corroborate,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Part 2 should never have been needed.<\/p>\n<p>There is no reason Jenny shouldn\u2019t have been able to stay anonymous to  her full story in the Times.<\/p>\n<p>We both gave them sources corroborating our details they didn\u2019t even bother to call.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Lyndsey Fifield (@lyndseyfifield) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/lyndseyfifield\/status\/2074404016277119113?\">July 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>\u201cPart 2 should never have been needed,\u201d Fifield wrote in <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/lyndseyfifield\/status\/2074404016277119113\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">another post<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is no reason Jenny shouldn\u2019t have been able to stay anonymous to  her full story in the Times. We both gave them sources corroborating our details they didn\u2019t even bother to call,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Fifield had earlier slammed the New York Times report in another <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/lyndseyfifield\/status\/2062808679829704815?s=20\">post on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt dawned on me that this really was a set up all along. The journalists I trusted who convinced me to  a story I never wanted to tell methodically delayed and twisted this into a gift to the Platner campaign,\u201d she wrote in June.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">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 href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/lyndseyfifield\/status\/2062808679829704815?\">June 5, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cViolating the trust of his victims. Shattering the trust I placed in them with the most vulnerable story of my life,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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