Sen. Bernie Sanders stands by Graham Platner after controversy over sexually explicit texts
Sanders said he still supports Platner and urged attention to issues he considers more important than the controversy.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates WJXT, where this article appeared. The other scores rate the article itself.
The reporting is attributed to The Associated Press, a major wire service with established editorial practices. The page identifies the AP reporters and carries an AP copyright notice.
- Source type — Reporting is attributed to a major wire service.
- Author attribution — The AP reporters are named, and an additional AP contributor is credited.
- Transparency — The page identifies the reporting as AP material and includes its copyright notice.
The article attributes its central claims and includes direct comments from Sanders, Platner’s wife, and Schiff. It gives some campaign context, but offers limited detail about the texts and no direct comment from Platner on the allegations.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article reports the allegations alongside Sanders’s defense of focusing on other issues and Platner’s wife’s response. It provides limited detail about the underlying texts or a direct response from Platner.
- Counterarguments presented — The article includes Sanders’s support and his wife’s criticism of the coverage, but no direct response from Platner to the allegations.
- Source diversity — Comments come from Sanders, Platner’s wife, and Schiff, with the AP reporting the allegations.
- Omitted context — The article gives little information about the texts themselves or Platner’s account of them.
The report presents the controversy and Sanders’s response in straightforward language, without an evident partisan framing.
- Language tone — The article uses descriptive, attributed language rather than overtly partisan terms.
- Source selection — It includes statements from Sanders, Platner’s wife, and Schiff, though Platner himself does not comment directly.
- Framing — The story centers on Sanders’s continued support and reports the controversy as context.
Original publisher not identified
This article credits another publisher, which ChamberLight has not identified, so the scores are WJXT's own.
Bernie Sanders said he still supports Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner after reports that Platner exchanged sexually explicit texts with several women while married. Sanders urged attention to other issues, as Platner campaigns ahead of the state’s June 9 Democratic primary.
Sanders said Monday that he continues to back Platner, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for a Senate seat held by Republican Susan Collins. Sanders said he would meet with Platner in Washington and argued that people should focus on issues he considers more important than Platner’s marriage. The reports concerned sexually explicit texts Platner previously exchanged with several women while married. Platner posted a video in which his wife, Amy Gertner, called coverage of the issue “gossip.”
Platner was also expected to meet with other senators and attend a fundraiser during his Washington trip. California Sen. Adam Schiff said he would need to learn more before commenting. Platner’s primary rival, Maine Gov. Janet Mills, had suspended her campaign in April, and Platner was scheduled to appear at a get-out-the-vote rally with Rep. Ro Khanna.
Community verdict
23 VOTESPeople in this story
SWIPE →Maine Senate candidate facing scrutiny over reported text messages
Platner's version of this story ↗Republican senator whom Platner hopes to unseat
Former president, mentioned in describing Ron Klain
California senator asked about Platner
Former chief of staff to President Joe Biden and fundraiser co-host
Maine governor and former Democratic primary rival
California representative scheduled to appear at a campaign rally
Part of a bigger story
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