Platner accuser recalls ‘gaslighting,’ ‘betrayal’ from NY Times as she came forward with her allegations
Platner Accuser Recalls Gaslighting Betrayal From New York Times
Platner accuser recalls gaslighting betrayal - Lyndsey Fifield is speaking out about her experience with the New York Times after coming forward with allegations against Graham Platner. The former partner of the Maine Senate hopeful says she felt gaslighted and betrayed by how the newspaper handled her story. Her concerns surfaced following a Politico report that renewed attention to Platner's sexual assault claims from a former romantic partner.
How the Times Covered the Allegations
Jenny Racicot first made public claims in 2021, stating that Platner entered her home while drunk without permission and engaged in sexual activity despite her objections. Platner has denied these accusations. Racicot described the incident as rape, which led several Democratic leaders to call for him to step aside. By Wednesday evening, Platner had officially ended his Senate bid.
Both Racicot and Fifield were interviewed by Times reporters for an article published the month before. However, the final piece highlighted Fifield's conservative views more than the allegations themselves.
"The New York Times piece … people are looking back at that with absolute horror and just saying like, 'Holy crap, this is like terrible. This is truly gruesome what you've done to these women,'" Fifield told Fox News Digital.
Fifield's Personal Experience With the Reporting
Fifield, who dated Platner between 2013 and 2015, said Times reporter Katie Glueck contacted her in April. Glueck mentioned the paper was collecting accounts from Platner's ex-partners after hearing "some really serious things" from other women. Lisa Lerer, who co-authored the article, was also deeply involved.
"They said … very insistently, 'Wait, wait, there are other women who are very afraid to come forward. They do not want to tell their stories because of how vulnerable they are, and you can help them, and we can protect you,'"
Fifield initially resisted going on the record. She felt pressured into participating, believing that without her voice, Racicot and another unnamed accuser would stay silent.
"I didn't want to do this," she remembered. "They made me feel guilty that if I didn't go on the record, then Jenny and the other unnamed woman, that their stories wouldn't get told."
Stealthing Claims and Going Public
Before the Times article ran, reporters connected Fifield with Racicot. Fifield found this surprising but agreed after learning Racicot felt alone in her progressive circle, which had supported Platner's campaign. "They said she really needs a friend, and you will understand her … and they were right about that. We have become friends," Fifield shared.
Fifield's allegations went further than Racicot's. She told Times reporters off the record that Platner repeatedly removed his condom during sex without her knowledge—a practice called stealthing, now illegal in multiple states. She kept this quiet because of embarrassment and her role as a wife and mother.
After Racicot went public through Politico, Fifield announced her stealthing claims to The Washington Post on Tuesday.
Why the Accuser Feels Misrepresented
Fifield was surprised by how much space she received in the Times article, especially since journalists suggested the piece would focus on several women's stories. "I'm out here on my own, I'm the only one photographed and there's 11 paragraphs of my work history. Like, what is this?" she asked.
Racicot's account appeared about 70 paragraphs into the lengthy Times story, which noted: "Ms. Racicot also said that in 2021 he arrived at her house drunk, after she had asked him not to come over. She declined to elaborate, but said she cut off contact soon after that episode and found his behavior 'reckless' and 'unsettling.'" Throughout the process, Fifield felt the Times emphasized her career too much, portraying her claims as politically driven even though she insisted they were personal.