SouthernWorldwide.com – Graham Platner, the presumed Democratic nominee for Senate in Maine, has come under scrutiny following the resurfacing of social media posts in which he reportedly bragged about using hard drugs during a period of military leave. In these unearthed posts, Platner allegedly expressed having “no regrets” regarding his past activities.
Platner, who has served as a combat veteran in both the Marine Corps and the Army National Guard, reportedly made a post in 2020 on Reddit under the username P-Hustle. In this post, he claimed to have been “partying it up” by engaging in drug use while he was on military leave and backpacking through Spain. Further adding to the controversy, another post from the same year allegedly includes an admission of purchasing cocaine.
The specific wording cited from the July 2020 post reads: “Street value. I always wonder what street you’re buying your cocaine on, because it’s not the street I’m buying my cocaine on.”
The Marine Corps has strict regulations against the use of illicit drugs by its servicemen. Violators of these rules face severe consequences, including expulsion from the military and potential criminal prosecution.
A memo from the Marine Corps on the subject explicitly states: “Any Marine caught using or selling drugs while attached to the Battalion will be prosecuted under the [Uniform Code of Military Justice] and processed for separation from the Marine Corps.”
It remains unclear whether Platner disclosed his alleged drug use to his superiors at the time. However, he did admit to using substances while still on the Marine Corps’ payroll.
In a February 2020 post, Platner reportedly wrote: “Took two months of terminal, most of it combat leave, so I was making a pretty penny doing just about nothing. Went backpacking through Europe on the government dime, walked the Camino de Santiago, did some drugs and had a blast partying it up in hostels across the continent. Then went home and went to college.”
He is also quoted as saying: “I highly recommend it. No regrets.”
Given that Platner enrolled at George Washington University in 2008, this backpacking trip likely took place around that period, when he would have been approximately 24 years old.
This admission of drug use is the latest in a series of deleted Reddit posts that have placed Platner’s campaign in a defensive position. The Maine Democrat has so far resisted calls to withdraw from the race. His online history, coupled with revelations of past infidelity, is now being viewed as a significant test of how much scrutiny a candidate can withstand.
The Washington Free Beacon was the first outlet to report on these previously undisclosed Reddit posts concerning drug use.
While Platner has offered explanations for some of his past controversial posts – such as those containing slurs and explicit sexual comments, which he attributed to the “crude humor” and “offensive language” prevalent in the armed forces – it is not yet clear if the same explanation will be applied to his admission of drug use.
Platner’s deleted Reddit posts have generated significant online discussion about his candidacy. These posts reportedly include insults directed at White rural Americans, expressions of support for communism and socialism, endorsements of political violence, and criticisms of the Army as being populated by “fat” and “lazy” individuals. Despite these controversies, the Democratic hopeful’s standing in the polls has not yet shown a significant decline.
As of the time of this report, polls generally indicate that Platner is leading the incumbent GOP Senator Susan Collins. However, historical polling data has shown that her strength in Maine has sometimes been underestimated.
