ME-SEN: Graham Platner asked why Black people 'don't tip' and referenced rape in old Reddit posts [View all]

[RandySF]

In Reddit posts from 2013, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner asked why Black people “don’t tip” and suggested people concerned about being raped shouldn’t be inebriated around people they don’t feel comfortable with.

Those posts add to previous reporting from CNN and Politico published Thursday about Platner’s writings on the social media site about his ideology and political violence. The Bangor Daily News obtained more posts made under Platner’s handle, “P-Hustle,” through an online database. He posted on the social media site more than 1,800 times between 2009 and 2021.

Platner’s past comments came to light the same week that Gov. Janet Mills joined the Democratic primary for the right to face Republican Sen. Susan Collins in 2026. The posts threaten to upend an out-of-nowhere campaign that has generated grassroots momentum, raising roughly $5 million and signing up thousands of volunteers.

Platner responded to a 2013 post on Reddit entitled “What is one question you have always wanted to ask someone of another race,” writing, “Why don’t black people tip?” He worked as a bartender at Tune Inn on Capitol Hill, where he was a guest bartender last month.



https://wgme.com/news/local/graham-platner-asked-why-black-people-dont-tip-and-referenced-rape-in-old-reddit-posts-social-media-maine-democrats-senate-race-republicans-susan-collins-janet-mills