'Taking time to reflect': Graham Platner responds to most recent sexual misconduct allegations against him



Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner's campaign is in hot water again after new allegations of sexual misconduct were reported Monday. Now his campaign against Susan Collins hangs by a very thin thread.

Platner issued a two-minute video response on Monday afternoon in light of a new report from Politico. In the report a woman, described as someone who once dated Platner, accused him of "sexual assault."

'Graham Platner should drop out from the race. I am withdrawing my endorsement.'

In the video, Platner denied the allegations against him, calling them "troubling, serious, and false," adding that "any accusation of nonconsensual behavior is categorically false."

The progressive Democrat spent the beginning of the video praising the movement his candidacy built and "the largest volunteer base in the history of Maine politics," fueled by "a focus on defeating Susan Collins."

Noting the seriousness of the allegations, however, Platner then made a remark that had some viewers asking questions about the future of his campaign: "So, regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting but mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we are taking time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I love, the movement I belong to, and the goal of defeating Susan Collins."

While no definitive statement about the future of his campaign was given in his response, Platner did, however, promise to keep fighting for the base of supporters he amassed over the duration of his campaign.

RELATED: Democrats close ranks around Graham Platner despite string of scandals

David Paul Morris/Bloomberg/Getty Images

"On June 9, 154,058 Mainers — the most in primary history — voted to reject a broken politics beholden to Washington and the donor class. They voted for hope, for change, to take back our economy, to take back our power, and to take back our Senate seat," Platner said in the video.

"Every one of you deserves to see that vision come to fruition and see Susan Collins defeated. And we will use every tool at our disposal to do so," he added. "As Maine goes, so goes the nation."

While Platner is not himself officially a part of the far-left Democratic Socialists of America, which has seen some success in recent primaries across the country, his progressive platform may appear to resemble the more radical wing of the party.

While some notable figures have expressed their skepticism of Platner, one Democrat leader has stuck with him through the multiple scandals that have arisen during his campaign.

Steve Guest posted a clip of a press conference earlier this year with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer being asked about Graham Platner and the explanations he has given for the past allegations.

Schumer gave a consistent answer, explicitly saying, "I endorsed Graham Platner," and said they will defeat Susan Collins and "take back the Senate." The clip shows Schumer's apparent preference for Platner over establishment Democrat candidate Janet Mills, who suspended her campaign at the end of April.

Graham Platner handily won the June 9 primary and will face Collins in November, if his campaign continues.

Hours later, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who previously supported Platner's campaign, released a statement on social media: "I've been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line. These allegations are very serious and credible. Graham Platner should drop out from the race. I am withdrawing my endorsement."

Blaze News contacted Rep. Ro Khanna and Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), John Fetterman (D-Penn.), and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) but did not immediately receive a response.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

REPORT: Married Obama-Appointed Judge Reprimanded For Repeated Courthouse Sex With Cop

'extremely uncomfortable and troubling for clerks'

Minneapolis Police Chief Resigns After Allegedly Interfering In Sexual Misconduct Probe Against Him

'We did not know then what we do know now'

Four Women Accuse Lesbian Running For Congress in Utah Of Unwanted Sexual Advances

'Next thing I know she has leaned over'

‘Why Is Everyone So Horny Here?’: GOP Rep From Alleged Groping Scandal Tells Colleagues To ‘Find Jesus’

'go to church'

Kimmel’s Bromance With Disgraced Eric Swalwell Burns Out, But Pro-Dem Bias Remains

Late-night broadcast television has become a wasteland of one-party rule that is long overdue for regulatory correction.

Eric Swalwell Suspends Gubernatorial Campaign

'I am suspending my campaign for Governor'

Women interviewing for Bill Gates' private office were asked about porn, STDs, if they ever 'danced for dollars': Report



Women interviewing for jobs in the private office of billionaire Bill Gates were asked personal questions about their private lives, according to a new report.

The Wall Street Journal reported that female candidates applying for jobs in Gates' private office were interviewed by a security firm and were asked questions about their sexual histories, pornography preferences, and whether they had ever "danced for dollars."

"Some people who sought jobs at billionaire Bill Gates’s private office described going through an extensive screening process that included being questioned by a security firm about their sexual histories, past drug use, and other parts of their private lives that might indicate they were vulnerable to blackmail," according to the Wall Street Journal.

Candidates claimed that applicants for jobs at Gates Ventures were asked if they ever had a sexually transmitted disease, ever had an extramarital affair, or if they had any nude photos of themselves on their phones.

The Wall Street Journal noted that none of the male candidates they had contacted said they were asked the same personal questions as the women.

The Wall Street Journal reported:

A consent form, reviewed by the Journal, said a behavioral assessment by a Concentric professional would be used to “assess suitability for employment” by Gates’s private office and would include drug and alcohol history as well as past medical and psychiatric history as it relates to the job. The form, requiring a signature from the job candidate, gave permission to disclose the results from the assessment to Gates’s private office, including “highly sensitive information,” and “does not allow for the re-disclosure of sexually transmitted diseases,” the document shows.

Carol Miaskoff, legal counsel at the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, said any questioning about a candidate’s health or psychiatric history before a job offer "is just flat-out prohibited by the federal Americans With Disabilities Act."

Miaskoff added that job interview questions about past drug use may also violate the same law because they may reveal addiction – which is considered a disability.

Concentric said its screening process complies with all applicable laws.

A spokesperson for Gates said his private office has not heard about the personal questions in the interview process by the third-party contractor.

"This line of questioning would be unacceptable and a violation of Gates Ventures’ agreement with the contractor," who must comply with pre-employment screening laws, the spokesperson said.

"We have never received information from any vendor or interviewee in our 15+ year history that inappropriate questions were asked during the screening process," the spokesperson said in a statement. "We can confirm, that after a comprehensive review of our records, no employment offer has ever been rescinded based on information of this nature."

A Concentric spokesperson denied asking questions about sexual or medical histories.

The spokesperson said the security screening involves "assessing a candidate’s truthfulness and vulnerability to blackmail, which often starts with voluntary statements by the candidate with follow-up questions by company interviewers."

"Concentric CEO Mike LeFever said that the company provides industry-standard background checks for hundreds of companies and its pre-employment interview protocol, which is identical for men and women, is compliant with laws in each state and nation where it provides services," the WSJ reported.

The security firm said it doesn't provide hiring recommendations.

The Concentric Advisors website states that the security firm has "supported private family offices for high-net-worth clients for almost two decades."

"Concentric provides investigative and global due diligence services for corporations, family offices, high-net-worth individuals, and private clients," the site says. "Through a combination of public records research and interviews, Concentric’s pre-employment diligence and background investigations provide a thorough review of employees, partners, home staff, third-party agents, and others."

Concentric Advisors boasts that it has investigators who are former CIA and FBI agents.

Gates, the fourth-richest person in the world with a net worth of $132 billion, acknowledged in 2021 that he had an affair with a Microsoft employee 20 years ago.

In 2019, Microsoft launched a probe into Gates' "intimate relationship" with an employee.

"Microsoft received a concern in the latter half of 2019 that Bill Gates sought to initiate an intimate relationship with a company employee in the year 2000," said Microsoft spokesman Frank Shaw. "A committee of the Board reviewed the concern, aided by an outside law firm to conduct a thorough investigation. Throughout the investigation, Microsoft provided extensive support to the employee who raised the concern."

"There was an affair almost 20 years ago which ended amicably," Gates' spokeswoman, Bridgitt Arnold, said in 2021.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Las Vegas OBGYN, who called himself the 'Vagina Whisperer,' accused of sexual misconduct by board; patients say he offered $1,000 for nude photos, claim of 'excruciating' sexual assault



A Las Vegas gynecologist – who called himself the "Vagina Whisperer" – is accused of sexual misconduct by the Nevada Medical Board. The OBGYN doctor allegedly offered patients $1,000 to take photos of their genitalia for his "portfolio" and is accused of sexual assault at his office by a woman.

George Peter Chambers, MD, is an OBGYN doctor who has been licensed by the board since 2003. Chambers is a "certified Sexual Health Medicine specialist and specializes in cosmetic-gynecologic surgeries, like labiaplasty and vaginal rejuvenation."

Chambers, 51, allegedly deleted his practice's website recently. The website said of Chambers, "As a gynecological surgeon who was raised and positively influenced by women, Dr. Chambers recognizes that all women want to look and feel beautiful.”

Chambers was reportedly active on Instagram under the handle "@vaginawhispererlasvegas" before deactivating the account on Thursday.

The Daily Beast reported, "His TikTok and Instagram accounts shared videos of surgeries and closeups of vaginas. One showed Chambers dancing into his disposable surgery gown, past what appears to be the body of a patient on a table. 'Dr. C living his best life,' reads text superimposed on the video. It’s unclear whether patients knew he was recording himself during these procedures."

"On Instagram, he promoted his services with images that appeared to be amateur photographs of women’s bodies that were edited or filtered," the outlet added. "A regular feature on his account was 'Sexplained with Dr. C,' which delved into fetishes and sexual terminology that some audiences might find more fitting for pornography than a medical office. 'Why do some men steal women’s panties?' one post in that series asked. Another explored the term 'cuckold.'"

On Sept. 21, the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners accused Chambers of "repeatedly exploited his relationships with patients and violated patients' trust by engaging in sexual improprieties that constitute sexual misconduct."

The board said Chambers committed Medical Practice Act violations that "undermine the public’s trust and respect for the medical profession."

“[Chambers] has demonstrated a pattern of failing to use the reasonable care, skill, or knowledge ordinarily used by obstetrician-gynecologists in good standing by repeatedly engaging in sexual improprieties with more than one patient,” the board declared.

The board’s complaint cites allegations from three of his patients between 2018 and 2020.

The first patient sought Chambers for surgical repair of a damaged perineum – the area between the anus and a woman's vagina. The 36-year-old woman said Chambers instructed her to keep her cellphone nearby so that he could take photos during the exam. He allegedly snapped 12 photos, and asked that two be sent to him via text message, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The medical board determined that taking and sending the photos "was disrespectful of Patient A’s privacy."

The board's complaint noted that one of the photos taken showed him inserting four fingers into her vagina.

The patient claimed that Chambers used an inappropriate sexual slang term to describe his actions during the OBGYN appointment.

Weeks after her appointment with Chambers, the patient allegedly contacted the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department in November 2020. She allegedly provided police with the contents of her cell phone.

In July 2021, a detective reportedly contacted the woman to inform her that police determined that Chambers had not sexually assaulted her.

The patient believed the doctor's actions were "sexual assault."

The woman reportedly told the detective, "I know what he put in my vagina. I felt it, and Dr. Chambers told me and showed me exactly what it was."

The patient said she suffered "excruciating pain and damage," and was forced to visit her OBGYN six days later.

Patient A wrote a review of her experience with Chambers on Yelp in 2021, "What I experienced is very concerning. To say Dr. Chambers was inappropriate with me would be a gross understatement in my opinion. I hope that any woman who has had a similar experience will come forward."

A second patient claimed that she was offered $1,000 by Chambers to allow him to take nude photos of her. He reportedly told the 35-year-old woman that the naked photos would be an "advertisement" for his practice.

The woman told The Daily Beast, "He said, 'Have you ever posed nude?' with a creepy smile on his face. I said, 'No, why do you ask?' And then he went on to tell me that he needs models to pose nude for his ads for his labiaplasty website."

The woman added, "He was different from other OBGYNs. He wouldn’t wait for me to ask a question about my sexual health, he would just fire questions away … I’m sitting in the room feeling like I have no choice but to answer these questions."

A third patient purportedly mentioned to Chambers that she was struggling financially. He reportedly responded by offering her $1,000 to pose in the nude during the OBGYN appointment in October 2019. Chambers told the 27-year-old woman that he was "seeking models to participate in a photography session in which photos would be taken of the model's vaginal area and nude body," according to the board's complaint. The gynecologist also offered the woman a thumb drive of the "boudoir" photos.

The medical board said, "Patient C thought it was odd that [Chambers] was soliciting photographs of her vaginal area as a representative of his work because he had never performed any cosmetic procedure on her genitals."

Chambers has 20 days to respond to the complaint, and then the board will set up a formal hearing on the accusations.

In April 2020, Chambers was featured in a local news segment by KLAS-TV about how he kept his medical office open during the pandemic.

Local gynecologist keeps office open, takes steps to ensure patients' safety www.youtube.com

REPORT: Rep. Gaetz’s Alleged Wingman Writes Confession Claiming Pair Had Sex With Underage Girl

Gaetz's alleged wingman claimed that the pair had paid for sexual favors