Graham Platner’s ex-girlfriend accuses New York Times of ‘set up,’ and alleges they ‘twisted’ her story into ‘a gift to the Platner campaign’

Lyndsey Fifield, an ex-girlfriend of Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, is speaking out about her deep frustration with how her personal history was handled in a recent piece published by The New York Times. The article, which focused on allegations of unsettling behavior in Platner’s dating life, left Fifield feeling as though she had been manipulated by the journalists she originally trusted.

As reported by The Hill, Fifield detailed in a series of posts on social media how she decided to cooperate with the paper despite her own conservative background. She noted that she bucked all advice from her friends and resisted her conservative bias to fully trust the journalists. According to Fifield, the reporters specifically asked her not to speak with other outlets, an instruction she said she followed repeatedly over the course of several weeks.

Once the article was published on Thursday, the tone of the coverage felt entirely different than what she had expected. Fifield questioned the editorial choices made by the paper, asking why there were no stories included from other women who had their own serious accusations. She expressed frustration that 11 paragraphs of the piece were dedicated to detailing her own work history, which she pointed out was far more space than had been given to the candidate’s own professional background.

Perhaps most concerning to Fifield was the omission of information she had provided to the reporters

She stated that the paper failed to include any mention that she had confided in multiple friends throughout the years about Platner’s alleged abusive behavior, long before he ever launched his campaign for office. She confirmed that those friends had relayed the same information to the journalists, yet it was left out of the final report.

The fallout from the article has contributed to a growing list of negative headlines for Platner. Recently, the candidate has faced allegations regarding explicit messages sent to women while he was married. He has also dealt with ongoing questions surrounding a tattoo he once had that resembled a Nazi symbol, which he has since covered up.

Fifield did not mince words when describing her experience, stating, “It dawned on me that this really was a set up all along.” She explained that the journalists convinced her to share a story she never wanted to tell, only to methodically delay and twist it into a gift to the Platner campaign. She added that she feels they violated the trust of his victims and shattered the trust she placed in them regarding the most vulnerable story of her life.

In response to these claims, a spokesperson for The New York Times defended the reporting. The spokesperson stated that the outlet published accounts provided by several women who were in romantic relationships with Graham Platner. They maintained that the story accurately presents each of those accounts as told to their reporters and according to their standards. The spokesperson said they stand by the reporting of the accounts from Fifield and the other women, describing the piece as a revealing look at the behavior of a major candidate for the U.S. Senate.

For his part, Platner has denied the characterizations presented in the article. During an appearance on MS NOW late Thursday, he stated that not once has he considered dropping out of the race for Senate in Maine. He dismissed the allegations regarding his past behavior as the statements of someone who is politically motivated. His campaign has also pushed back against Fifield specifically, describing her as a lifelong G.O.P. operative who has dedicated her career to electing Republicans.

The background of this story is quite complex, as it stems from a time when Platner was working to present his life as a narrative of recovery and personal growth. Platner has been open about his struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and heavy drinking following his time in the military. He has urged voters not to judge him for the worst things he said online over a decade ago. However, the disclosures regarding his recent behavior have complicated that narrative, causing concern among Democrats who view the Maine seat as crucial to their control of the Senate.

While the campaign has pointed to other women who described Platner as a fun and caring partner, the accounts from women like Fifield suggest a much more volatile history. As the campaign continues, it is clear that these conflicting portrayals of the candidate’s personal life will remain a central point of contention.