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Dem senator bankrolling Platner’s campaign ripped for downplaying abuse allegations in bombshell report
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A sitting Democratic senator, who is one of Graham Platner’s top donors, is now drawing backlash for shrugging off the most recent allegations of misconduct that have followed the controversial Maine Senate candidate.
Platner has received $10,000 in the form of two $5,000 donations from Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse’s leadership PAC, according to Federal Election Commission records reviewed by Fox News Digital.
One donation from Whitehouse’s Ocean PAC came in March of this year. Another one was made last October. Notably, the most recent donation was made before former Governor Janet Mills, a second Democratic candidate for Senate, suspended her campaign at the end of April.
Although Whitehouse’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment, the donations show the high degree of confidence lawmakers like Whitehouse have in Platner’s ability to unseat the moderate Republican incumbent, Susan Collins, R-Maine, currently holding office in a blue-leaning state.
WATCH: DEM SENATORS EXCUSE PLATNER’S CONDUCT AT CRISIS HUDDLE WITH EMBATTLED MAINE CANDIDATE
Maine Democratic candidate for Senate Graham Platner, left, pictured alongside Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., right. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images; Heather Diehl/Getty Images)
Whitehouse has been among Platner’s most constant supporters among lawmakers in the U.S. Senate, calling the controversial candidate «wonderfully appealing» in an interview with Politico.
«He’s off to a really strong start and has a wonderfully appealing local background and story,» Whitehouse said.
Whitehouse has remained supportive of Platner even as troubling details have emerged of Platner’s past web history, views and personal conduct. Most recently, reporting for The New York Times chronicled accounts from several of Platner’s former romantic interests, including allegations of rape fantasies, heavy drinking and violent episodes.
Despite the troubling allegations, Whitehouse told reporters he wasn’t alarmed by the reporting.
«Seems like a lot of nothing. I mean, the only one who had anything to say that seemed ‘unsettling’ was a woman who works for right-wing political operations,» Whitehouse reportedly told NOTUS after reading the article.
His reaction drew immediate backlash online.
«Whitehouse is the guy who grilled Brett Kavanaugh about ‘boofing.’ Just unreal,» Washington Free Beacon reporter Chuck Ross wrote in a post to X, recalling Whitehouse’s grilling of President Donald Trump’s 2018 Supreme Court Justice nominee over high-school slang in a search for possible improprieties.
SENATE CANDIDATE GRAHAM PLATNER SENT EXPLICIT TEXTS TO MULTIPLE WOMEN WHILE MARRIED, WIFE SAYS: REPORT
U.S. Senate candidate from Maine Graham Platner speaks during a campaign event on May 17, 2026, in Portland, Maine. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
«To the people just now learning that Sheldon Whitehouse is an amoral cretin, your ignorance to this point has been a choice,» GOP consultant Luke Thompson wrote on X.
«Is there a more contemptible man in the Senate than Sheldon Whitehouse?» TPUSA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet wrote on X.
«Sheldon Whitehouse, ringleader of the smearing of Kavanaugh, is a very bad person,» Capital Research investigative researcher Parker Thayer wrote on X.
«What an absolute dirt bag,» Republican operative Matt Whitlock wrote on X. «Dismissing a vivid account of physical abuse because it happened to a Republican operative is the most [Sheldon Whitehouse] thing I’ve ever heard.»
Amber Duke, the editor-in-chief of the DailyCaller, also blasted Whitehouse’s seemingly uneven application of scrutiny.
«What happened to this energy, Sen?» Duke said, highlighting a tweet Whitehouse had put out during Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing.
«Today I stand with women who are brave enough to come forward with their stories of abuse and mistreatment. They deserve to be heard and credible allegations must be investigated. We must believe survivors, not bully them,» Whitehouse had written at the time.
«Sheldon Whitehouse is the same guy who accused Brett Kavanaugh of being a rapist because he wrote ‘boofing’ in his yearbook,» conservative writer Bonchie wrote on X.
Apart from the Thursday report, Platner has received backlash for making off-color remarks on sexual abuse, race and terror, for a tattoo associated with Nazi imagery, and, most recently, for potentially interacting with several women outside his marriage in inappropriate ways.
Platner has also called himself a «communist» in previous posts online.
Among other resurfaced comments, Platner once blamed rape victims for failing to protect themselves in a now-deleted Reddit post.
«How about people just take some responsibility for themselves and not so f—ed up when they wind up having sex with someone they don’t mean to?» Platner wrote in 2013.
Whitehouse has his own controversial past, including details about his family having a membership at the exclusive Bailey’s Beach Club, formerly known as Spouting Rock Beach Association, which is rumored to have an all-White clientele.
«I think the people who are running the place are still working on that, and I’m sorry it hasn’t happened yet,» Whitehouse said in 2017, referring to allowing minority members. «It’s a long tradition in Rhode Island, and there are many of them. And we just need to work our way through the issues.»
SENATE DEM CANDIDATE WHO WROTE HE ‘BECAME A COMMUNIST’ NOW SAYS HE WAS JOKING
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse speaks with journalists at the Blue Zone during the COP30 UN Climate Change Conference in Belem, Para State, Brazil, on Nov. 14, 2025. (Pablo Porciuncula/AFP)
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Platner, who looks poised to take the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, met with senators earlier this week, reassuring them about his prospective candidacy.
Maine will hold its Senate primaries next Tuesday.
lindsey graham, tom steyer, fund raising, senate elections, democrats senate
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Mamdani repeatedly sidesteps questions on reported plan to revive tax hikes on wealthy New Yorkers
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New York City democratic socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani repeatedly sidestepped questions Thursday about reported plans to launch a public pressure campaign this fall pushing tax hikes on wealthy New Yorkers and corporations.
Mamdani reportedly plans to build public support after Labor Day for similar proposals that Gov. Kathy Hochul previously rejected in early 2026. The reported push is expected ahead of the New York Legislature’s return to Albany in January 2027 and Hochul’s re-election campaign this fall, according to The New York Post.
During an interview with Fox 5 New York, Mamdani repeatedly declined to answer questions about the potential campaign before later saying such discussions would only come after the November election.
Asked whether he had spoken with Hochul about the reported campaign, Mamdani did not answer directly, instead using the opportunity to tout the opening of 2,000 free child care seats for New Yorkers through their policy efforts.
NYC MAYOR MAMDANI CALLS THREAT OF RICH PEOPLE LEAVING NYC OVER TAXES ‘IMAGINED’
Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks to reporters about the city’s finances during a news conference in New York, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (Seth Wenig/AP Photo)
«The governor and I are in constant communication and, frankly, I appreciate her partnership because if it wasn’t for the governor, then we wouldn’t have been able to stand together to announce that we had more than 5,000 New Yorkers come forward to apply for these 2,000 free child care seats,» he said. «And I’m so excited about that, and the fact that we’re going to expand to 12,000, and the work that’s still to come.»
The reporter then pressed Mamdani on whether the Democratic Socialists of America would join the potential campaign this fall, but he again declined to answer directly, saying his focus remains on the present.
BERNIE SANDERS, DSA REVEAL DEMANDS FOR DEM PARTY AFTER SOCIALISTS SWEEP NEW YORK ELECTIONS
Kathy Hochul, governor of New York, left, and Zohran Mamdani, mayor of New York, speak during an announcement in New York, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
«My focus right now is where we are, which is August, and ensuring that everything that we’re doing is keeping New Yorkers safe amidst a heat wave and preparing for the school year,» Mamdani said. «A lot of the conversation about what comes after November, I think, is a conversation for what comes after November.»
«So you don’t plan to launch a campaign to tax the rich before the November election?» the reporter asked.
«The conversations I’ve been having with the governor and with my team are about the here and now and there will always be time for the conversations that come after that,» Mamdani said.
MAMDANI EXTENDS DEADLINE FOR NYC HOMEOWNERS TO SEEK EXEMPTION FROM NEW PIED-À-TERRE TAX
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani previously backed a proposal to tax luxury second homes owned by non-residents, targeting ultra-wealthy property owners. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The reported campaign would revive a previous push by Mamdani to close the city’s multibillion-dollar budget gap through tax increases, a proposal Hochul previously rejected. Mamdani’s earlier plan called for raising the city’s personal income tax rate on filers earning $1 million or more, a move he projected could generate roughly $3 billion annually, while also increasing corporate tax rates.
As an alternative, Hochul and Mamdani jointly advanced the state’s first pied-à-terre tax, an annual surcharge on certain high-value second homes, which passed in May 2026. State and city officials have projected the measure could raise about $500 million annually.
Mamdani also said his May 2026 executive budget closed what his administration described as an inherited $12 billion budget gap, crediting aggressive savings, new investments, his partnership with Albany and new tax revenue, including the pied-à-terre tax.
Mamdani’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
zohran mamdani, new york city, elections state and local, taxes, kathy hochul
INTERNACIONAL
Fiscalía prepara escrito de acusación para audiencia intermedia y cierra investigación contra exvicepresidente panameño José Gabriel “Gaby” Carrizo
El Ministerio Público de Panamá se encuentra en la etapa decisiva del caso contra José Gabriel “Gaby” Carrizo, exvicepresidente de la República (2019-2024) y excandidato presidencial.
El proceso, que investiga el presunto delito de enriquecimiento injustificado agravado, avanza tras el cierre formal de la investigación, lo que obliga a la Fiscalía Anticorrupción a presentar un escrito de acusación para su revisión judicial.
La defensa de Carrizo, representada por el abogado Víctor Orobio, confirmó a TVN que había recibido la notificación oficial sobre el cierre de la investigación.
“Ya nos notificaron del cierre de la investigación. Estamos esperando la presentación del escrito de acusación y de la fecha de la audiencia intermedia”, detalló Orobio.
El cierre de la investigación responde a la expiración del plazo legal para las pesquisas, después de que los tribunales rechazaran la solicitud fiscal de extender el periodo bajo la figura de “investigación compleja”.
Por tanto, la Fiscalía Anticorrupción debe ahora solicitar formalmente la audiencia y presentar el escrito de acusación, en el que se expondrán los hechos, la calificación jurídica y las pruebas reunidas.
Posteriormente, la defensa tendrá la oportunidad de contestar e introducir sus propias pruebas para la audiencia intermedia.
La causa se originó tras un informe de la Contraloría General de la República, que identificó un supuesto incremento patrimonial injustificado de Carrizo por $1,9 millones durante su gestión pública.
Como consecuencia, el contralor Anel “Bolo” Flores dispuso en noviembre de 2025 el secuestro de bienes y cuentas bancarias pertenecientes al exvicepresidente hasta por $1,3 millones.
El secuestro de bienes, anunciado públicamente el 6 de noviembre, se implementó, según se dijo, como medida cautelar para asegurar fondos en caso de una eventual condena y resarcimiento al Estado panameño.
La decisión de la Contraloría, bajo la gestión de Flores, intensificó la presión sobre Carrizo, quien ya era objeto de dos investigaciones distintas por presuntas irregularidades durante su periodo como vicepresidente entre 2019 y 2024.
La intervención de la Contraloría en este caso marcó la segunda ocasión en la que se aplica una medida similar contra un miembro de alto perfil del Partido Revolucionario Democrático (PRD).
Esta reiteración provocó en su momento especulaciones y aumentó la controversia pública sobre la transparencia y la gestión de los recursos estatales.
El presunto enriquecimiento injustificado constituye una infracción que afecta de manera directa la confianza ciudadana en las instituciones públicas.
Las autoridades buscan determinar si Carrizo obtuvo ventajas económicas ilícitas aprovechando su cargo, un aspecto central para la integridad de la función pública.
La medida de secuestro de bienes tiene como finalidad principal garantizar la posibilidad de reparación al Estado en caso de condena. Los bienes afectados permanecerán bajo custodia judicial hasta que se resuelva el caso en las instancias correspondientes.
El caso de Carrizo se suma a una cadena de escándalos que han sacudido el escenario político panameño, profundizando el malestar social y la desconfianza en la administración pública.
La lucha contra la corrupción se impone como un reto permanente para Panamá, que requiere acciones decididas de todos los sectores para fortalecer el Estado de derecho y la gobernabilidad.
El desenlace del proceso judicial contra el exvicepresidente será determinante para definir el alcance real de la política anticorrupción en el país y marcará un precedente sobre la responsabilidad de los altos funcionarios en la gestión de los recursos públicos.
INTERNACIONAL
Trump-backed incumbent loses primary after super PAC bankrolled by Dems meddled in race
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Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., was defeated in a primary challenge on Thursday evening by Republican challenger Charlie Hatcher, a farmer and the state’s former commissioner of agriculture.
Although the primary was far from a top-watched contest coming into the 2026 primaries, it served as a microcosm of larger forces at play in the Republican Party. From a break in endorsements between President Donald Trump and Tennessee’s Republican Governor Bill Lee to millions being pumped into the district over environmental policy, the race attracted attention well beyond its borders.
The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition super PAC had spent roughly $2 million opposing Ogles and supporting Hatcher. The group has raised $6.7 million this year, making Ogles a sizable portion of their spending this cycle.
TOP TRUMP ALLY WARNS SUPER PAC BANKROLLED BY DEM BILLIONAIRE IS MEDDLING IN GOP PRIMARY
Charlie Hatcher, Republican candidate for Congress, left, pictured next to incumbent Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., right. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect; Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
The way that Ogles sees it, it’s an attempt to show Republicans what happens when lawmakers attempt to claw back government funding for renewable energy sources.
Like many other Republicans, Ogles has called to scale back renewable energy investments made under the Biden Administration.
«When you have a group spending roughly $2 million in a Republican primary, that tells you how much money they’re making off of government subsidies, and they’re upset that the government welfare has been taken away from them,» Ogles told Fox News Digital in an interview.
A Fox News Digital review of FEC filings discovered that the super PAC is bankrolled by Chris Larsen, the California-based billionaire chairman of Ripple, a financial technology company that, according to its website, offers crypto solutions for businesses.
Larsen is also a frequent Democratic donor, having contributed $5,444,975 to support Kamala Harris’s failed presidential campaign.
More than just his opposition to government-backed renewable energy initiatives, Ogles thinks it’s his proximity to Trump that has made him a target.
«It’s because I’m close to the president. It is because I am outspoken. And quite frankly, it is because I speak plainly on these issues,» Ogles said.
GOP GOVERNOR ENDORSES CANDIDATE CHALLENGING TRUMP-BACKED CONGRESSMAN IN REPUBLICAN US HOUSE PRIMARY
Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) addresses the New York Young Republican Club’s 113th Annual Gala at Cipriani Wall Street on December 13, 2025 in New York City. (Adam Gray/Getty Images)
For his own part, Hatcher, a fifth-generation Tennessee dairy farmer, has pitched himself as someone unencumbered by the political scene and ensnaring interests.
«I think there’s something missing in Washington. There’s a lack of farmer common sense. There’s a lack of work ethic. One of my strengths is problem-solving, looking for solutions, looking for collaborations and supporting the Trump Administration and Speaker Johnson on their agenda,» Hatcher said in a campaign video.
Notably, Tennessee’s Republican governor put his weight behind Hatcher late on Tuesday evening, citing a personal relationship between them.
«He served as my commissioner of agriculture; I know Charlie. I know his conservative values and how much he loves our country. Charlie has stood with President Trump since day one,» Lee said in a video.
Trump, who has endorsed Ogles, reaffirmed his support for the conservative firebrand ahead of the primary.
«Andy will be really enshrined as one of the best congressmen that you’ll ever see. He’s just fantastic,» Trump said. «Andy has always been there when we needed him and when I needed him. He’s been a great help. He’s been a source of inspiration to a lot of people in Congress,» Trump said in a post to Truth Social earlier this year.
TENNESSEE PASSES NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAP LIKELY TO FLIP FINAL DEM SEAT AS PROTESTS ERUPT INSIDE CAPITOL
Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., walks through the U.S. Capitol on February 03, 2026 in Washington, D.C. (Heather Diehl/Getty Images)
Having captured the Republican nomination, Hatcher now advances to a general election he’s heavily favored to win on Nov. 3. He won re-election in 2024 in a 56.9% to 39.5% victory over Maryam Abolfazli.
politics, campaigning, tennessee
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