{"id":2627289,"date":"2026-07-09T12:25:01","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T16:25:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/platners-preferred-pick-standing-by-him-sponsored-rape-accountability-bill\/"},"modified":"2026-07-09T12:28:24","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T16:28:24","slug":"platners-preferred-pick-standing-by-him-sponsored-rape-accountability-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/platners-preferred-pick-standing-by-him-sponsored-rape-accountability-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"Platner\u2019s preferred pick standing by him sponsored rape accountability bill"},"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\">20<\/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%2Fplatners-preferred-pick-standing-by-him-sponsored-rape-accountability-bill%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=2627289&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>Maine State Rep.Valli Geiger, a supporter of Graham Platner, has refused to condemn the now-withdrawn Democratic Senate candidate associated with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-hypocritical-response-of-progressive-women-on-the-cuomo-sexual-harassment-allegations\/\" title=\"The Hypocritical Response Of Progressive Women On The Cuomo Sexual Harassment ...\">sexual assault accusations<\/a>, despite sponsoring legislation aimed at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-judicial-nominee-pushed-to-unmask-a-sexual-assault-victims-identity\/\" title=\"Biden Judicial Nominee Pushed To Unmask a Sexual Assault Victim\u2019s Identity\">supporting sexual assault survivors<\/a>.Geiger publicly backed Platner after allegations surfaced that he forced his former girlfriend Jenny Racicot to have sex with him in 2021, which she described as non-consensual. Geiger expressed belief in Racicot\u2019s credibility but emphasized she dose not know the full truth. She also highlighted her personal experience as a sexual assault survivor herself.<\/p>\n<p>Geiger\u2019s legislative work included a bill to track untested rape kits across Maine, aiming to improve justice for victims. Despite her support for Platner, she questioned another woman\u2019s abuse allegations against him, suggesting political motives and discrediting her due to her conservative ties, though evidence for such connections remains unsubstantiated.<\/p>\n<p>Platner, facing scandals, recently called for an open candidate selection process after he announced he would withdraw from the race, encouraging Geiger to run as his replacement. Geiger publicly supported him throughout his controversies, defending his character and explaining his past misconduct as related to military trauma.She praised Platner\u2019s efforts on sexual assault legislation,which was ultimately vetoed by the governor.<\/p>\n<p>Geiger has also questioned another abuse accuser,Lyndsey Fifield,attributing her claims to political motives,and cited her own traumatic experiences during college to bolster her perspective. Throughout her political career, Geiger has maintained a focus on social issues like climate change and environmental conservation.  <\/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\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Maine\/\">Maine<\/a> state Rep. Valli Geiger, one of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Graham-Platner\/\">Graham Platner<\/a>\u2019s possible replacements to run for U.S. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Senate\/\">Senate<\/a> in his stead, is refusing to condemn the now-withdrawn Democratic nominee accused of sexual assault \u2014 despite sponsoring legislation that she designed to hold rapists accountable.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Geiger, a self-described <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/TheMaineWire\/status\/2074459693049684231\">\u201clongtime feminist,\u201d<\/a> issued a statement on Tuesday declaring that she stands by Platner after his former girlfriend, Jenny Racicot, told <em>Politico<\/em> that he forced her to have sex with him in 2021 while she repeatedly told him to stop.<\/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\/congressional\/4641945\/graham-platner-replacements-maine-senate-democrats\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Who is running to replace Graham Platner?<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4641976\/democrats-effed-right-now-joe-concha-graham-platner\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Democrats are \u2018so effed right now, they have no idea\u2019: Joe Concha on Platner dropping out<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4641761\/graham-platner-exit-speech-progressive-democrats\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Platner\u2019s angry exit speech could demoralize, or further radicalize, his supporters<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI will not throw Graham under the bus, but neither will I slander or accuse Ms. Racicot of anything more than telling the truth as she experienced it,\u201d Geiger <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/valli.geiger.9\/posts\/pfbid02hxF5FB72kXjJ3YYjiUX1yRNJRBYMwUBxJxnnWpbsuBfN924UwGaBbuHxnt6seU3gl\">wrote<\/a>. \u201cI acknowledge the pain on all sides and offer compassion on all sides.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHer story seems credible,\u201d Geiger added. \u201cNone of us knows the truth nor will we ever.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-rape-kit-accountability-bill-introduced-by-geiger\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rape kit accountability bill introduced by Geiger<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Geiger\u2019s decision to stand by Platner in the wake of the rape allegation appears to be at odds with her legislative work.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2024, Geiger sponsored <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/legislature.maine.gov\/backend\/App\/services\/getDocument.aspx?documentId=104237\">a bill<\/a> to \u201cincrease access to justice for survivors of sexual assault by establishing a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >statewide sexual assault forensic examination kit tracking system<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe are failing in our basic duty to keep the residents of this state safe and to hold those who commit egregious acts of sexual violence accountable,\u201d Geiger <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.maine.gov\/housedems\/news\/republicans-oppose-geiger-bill-increase-access-justice-sexual-assault-survivors\">said<\/a> at the time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Geiger\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/legislature.maine.gov\/legis\/bills\/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0199&#038;item=1&#038;snum=132\">still-pending<\/a> bill, her hallmark legislation, would create an inventory of DNA-collection kits that remain untested in medical facilities and crime labs across Maine, allowing victims of sexual assault to check on the status of their test results and see whether law enforcement was truly following through on investigating rape reports.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year, Platner <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mainepublic.org\/politics\/2026-01-07\/graham-platner-draws-overflow-crowd-at-tax-the-rich-to-fund-health-care-event\">invited<\/a> Geiger to speak about the bill at <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/mainebeacon.com\/graham-platners-tax-the-rich-town-hall-puts-spotlight-on-3-maine-tax-and-health-care-bills\/\">a Tax the Rich rally<\/a> that he held in Portland, and Geiger, in turn, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.midcoastvillager.com\/news\/publicsafety\/geiger-praises-money-in-state-budget-for-tracking-rape-kits\/article_0ac6d363-d78c-4590-871b-05ec4dd7304a.html\">credited<\/a> Platner with helping her to secure funding for the bill, which passed the state legislature but was pocket-vetoed by Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) due to procedural and budgeting concerns.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\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\">New ad:<\/p>\n<p>How our campaign played a key role in passing Representative Valli Geiger&#8217;s landmark rape kit bill in Maine. <\/p>\n<p>This is about more than a Senate seat. It always has been. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/yY5MSQPg4E\">pic.twitter.com\/yY5MSQPg4E<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Graham Platner for Senate (@grahamformaine) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/grahamformaine\/status\/2044038266697969946?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 14, 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>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/legislature.maine.gov\/legis\/bills\/getTestimonyDoc.asp?id=181387\">introducing the bill<\/a> on the Maine House floor, Geiger denounced general \u201cdisinclination to believe the victim,\u201d saying that she is a survivor of sexual assault herself. Geiger testified that she was sexually assaulted in college, did not report the incident, and declined to tell anyone for another 15 years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> contacted Geiger\u2019s office for comment on why she decided to support Platner, the alleged abuser in this case.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-geiger-called-into-question-another-woman-s-abuse-allegations-against-platner\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Geiger called into question another woman\u2019s abuse allegations against Platner<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Geiger previously cast doubt on another Platner accuser\u2019s story because of the woman\u2019s conservative affiliations. In <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/transcripts.cnn.com\/show\/cg\/date\/2026-06-05\/segment\/02\">a June interview<\/a> on Jake Tapper\u2019s CNN show, Geiger joined fellow Democrats in seeking to discredit Lyndsey Fifield, who said Platner was physically abusive at times when they dated between 2013 and 2015.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\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\">Tapper: &#8220;Are you not disturbed at all by the allegations in the New York Times story on Graham Platner?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Maine State Rep. Valli Geiger: &#8220;The person who accused him of physicality is a Republican operative\u2026 who helped write the speech Susan Collins gave on the floor to justify\u2026 <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/pLbRz1HqfY\">pic.twitter.com\/pLbRz1HqfY<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Greg Price (@greg_price11) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/greg_price11\/status\/2063041850122862677?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>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Geiger said she found it \u201ca little hard to accept [Fifield\u2019s] word,\u201d asserting that Fifield is \u201ca Republican operative\u201d and had helped write the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/5417444\/susan-collins-kavanaugh-vote-transcript\/\">2018 speech<\/a> that incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) delivered on the Senate floor explaining her vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, there is no documented evidence that Fifield was ever a speechwriter for Collins, Planter\u2019s GOP opponent, or that she is connected to Collins in any way. Collins <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/connorclementtv\/status\/2062961361437516235\">told<\/a> local reporters that she \u201cnever\u201d met Fifield nor had \u201ceven heard her name\u201d before the senator read the <em>New York Times<\/em> expos\u00e9 that aired Fifield\u2019s account, alongside a sanitized version of Racicot\u2019s, though Racicot did not come forward with the rape claims until the <em>Politico<\/em> piece on Monday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The narrative that Collins was somehow involved in the initial abusive-behavior story stems from Fifield joking in a group chat with friends, \u201cI will personally go campaign for Collins,\u201d according to a screenshot of the offhand comment she shared with the <em>New York Times<\/em>. Fifield also <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2018\/10\/07\/another-casualty-of-the-kavanaugh-fight-the-medias-what-women-think-scam\/\">co-founded<\/a> Ladies for Kavanaugh, an informal group assembled in support of Kavanaugh\u2019s nomination.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fifield is <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independentwomen.com\/people\/lyndsey-fifield\/\">a visiting fellow<\/a> at Independent Women, a conservative-oriented policy center. However, she has not been active with Independent Women for years, and the last payment to her from the organization came in 2022.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fifield <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/who-is-lyndsey-fifield-platners-republican-ex-girlfriend-what-we-know-12038091\">says<\/a> she is no longer a registered Republican and does not consider herself one, noting that she has voted for and supported some Democrats since moving to Virginia in 2020.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As for Racicot, whose version of events Geiger decidedly refrained from disputing, the <em>New York Times<\/em> identified her as a Maine Democrat.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-platner-prods-geiger-to-take-his-place-on-the-ballot\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Platner prods Geiger to take his place on the ballot<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ahead of Platner announcing on Wednesday that <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4638358\/graham-platner-suspends-maine-senate-campaign\/\">he is exiting the Senate race<\/a>, Geiger earlier in the day said he nudged her to succeed him as the party\u2019s nominee.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That afternoon, Geiger told <em>Maine\u2019s Total Coverage<\/em> that Platner had called her on Monday night to say he would back her run if she so chose.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe said, \u2018Valli, you are a fighter, you have been with this movement since the beginning,\u2019\u201d Geiger recounted.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Maine Democratic Party will soon hold <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4641710\/maine-democrats-nominating-convention-platner\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">a roughly 600-member nominating convention<\/a> to choose Platner\u2019s replacement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A staff member for the Platner campaign confirmed to <em>Maine\u2019s Total Coverage<\/em> that Platner did call Geiger this week and encouraged her to consider running.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In his 11-minute withdrawal speech, Platner called for the candidate-selection system to be \u201copen, transparent, and democratic,\u201d adding, \u201cI\u2019m not trying to dictate to anyone who it should be or how we get there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An endorsement from Platner and close alignment with him could actually hurt his preferred pick\u2019s chances. Former state Sen. Troy Jackson, who lost last month\u2019s Democratic gubernatorial primary, is another \u201cvery, very interested\u201d contender <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4638366\/troy-jackson-calls-graham-platner-drop-out-maine-senate-race\/\">positioning himself<\/a> as \u201cthe best person to replace him.\u201d In polling that Platner\u2019s campaign conducted on Tuesday to see who would have the greatest chance of flipping the Senate seat, Jackson performed best, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2026\/07\/08\/graham-platner-polls-replacements-senate-00990664\">according<\/a> to <em>Politico<\/em>. Jackson, unlike Geiger, has placed distance between himself and Platner, saying outright that he is not seeking his endorsement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s unfortunate, but I just don\u2019t want it,\u201d Jackson said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Geiger, a loyal supporter of Platner, has publicly defended him on several occasions as he faced <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4597477\/four-scandal-maine-senate-candidate-graham-platner\/\">an avalanche of scandals<\/a>. She argued in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.centralmaine.com\/2025\/10\/23\/graham-platner-deserves-grace-opinion\/\">an October 2025 op-ed<\/a> that he \u201cdeserves grace\u201d over a series of old, controversial Reddit posts, including one in which Platner said that people worried about being raped should \u201ctake some responsibility for themselves and not get so f***ed up they wind up having sex with someone they don\u2019t mean to.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When news broke of Platner sending sexually explicit texts to other women while he was a married man, Geiger framed Platner, a Marine Corps veteran, as \u201ca wounded warrior.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPeople are flawed and people are messy,\u201d Geiger said in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/valli.geiger.9\/posts\/pfbid0312RxFUajyeZzJJFAzE5vBXPFNEbyaxNUtJ7eafR7Umdor1it2nANUGQzrkURhEYil?rdid=vrX9MdlKimUd0PmD#\">a Facebook statement<\/a>. \u201cGraham, being a man who has grown up with social media, has his messiness on full display. We can choose him, knowing his struggles, knowing he is in and has been in therapy for years, doing what Carl Jung calls shadow work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the CNN interview, Geiger chalked Platner\u2019s threatening conduct toward Fifield up to being \u201ca lousy boyfriend\u201d during a period of post-traumatic stress following his military service.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Geiger reaffirmed her sympathy for Platner this week, reiterating that he was dealing with combat-related trauma when the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/records-suggest-loudoun-sent-team-of-police-to-deal-with-upset-parent-not-alleged-rape-of-student\/\" title=\"Records Suggest Loudoun Sent Team Of Police To Deal With \u2018Upset Parent,\u2019 Not Alleged Rape Of Student\">alleged rape occurred<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAs a former [Veterans Affairs] nurse, I granted and still grant him an enormous amount of grace for his behavior in the \u2018dark years\u2019 when he returned from multiple deployments,\u201d Geiger wrote on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4641497\/maine-valli-geiger-graham-platner-senate\/\"><strong>MAINE LAWMAKER SAYS PLATNER URGED HER TO RUN FOR SENATE IF HE STEPPED DOWN<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Geiger said she met Platner through an environmental activist.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.penbaypilot.com\/article\/issues-house-district-42-candidate-valli-geiger\/164931\">a candidate questionnaire<\/a>, Geiger said she believes climate change \u201cis the existential challenge of our time,\u201d and, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.maine.gov\/house\/Repository\/Documents\/131\/LegislativeRecords\/233c1e40-564d-469e-b571-124eb7220c9f_20240402.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">opposing<\/a> the expansion of Maine\u2019s natural-gas infrastructure, Geiger <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/TheMaineWire\/status\/1846215144109387862\">bragged<\/a> on the Maine House floor about confiscating her husband\u2019s beloved gas stove, replacing their household appliance with an induction cooktop because he developed a chronic cough while sheltering inside during the COVID-19 pandemic. Geiger blamed her husband\u2019s condition on \u201cdirty air\u201d that she claimed was caused by the gas stove.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Valli Geiger supports Platner despite assault claims<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3767,"featured_media":2627290,"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\/07\/AP26159006863557.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[8049,6017,4762,5894,36625],"class_list":["post-2627289","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-accountability","tag-advocacy","tag-legislation","tag-politics","tag-social-justice"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26159006863557.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2627289","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\/3767"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2627289"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2627289\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2627293,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2627289\/revisions\/2627293"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2627290"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2627289"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2627289"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2627289"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}