Embattled Democratic Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner reportedly once provided tactical firearms training to members of the far-left pro-transgender Socialist Rifle Association.
Under the Reddit handle “P-Hustle,” Platner bragged in August 2020 about running a “defensive handgun course” for the socialist gun group as Black Lives Matter riots were still sweeping the country, according to The Robinson Report, a Substack ran by Maine-based investigative journalist Steve Robinson. The oyster farmer and Marine veteran described the events as “lots of range days, firearms education classes, and developing mutual aid networks,” adding that “combat veterans and firearms instructors” in the organization built “a solid curriculum to build proficiency.”
Platner appeared to recruit others into the group online, urging new Maine residents to “check the group out” because “we’re quite active.” Photos circulating on X show a firearms training session featuring a red-haired man resembling Platner among the participants.
The Socialist Rifle Association gained notoriety after Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk’s assassination, when reports surfaced suggesting his killer may have had ties to the group, according to The Robinson Report. The organization, which boasts over 10,000 members, has drawn scrutiny for alleged involvement in violent clashes with law enforcement.
Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old man suspected to have assassinated Kirk, had a transgender boyfriend at the time of the TPUSA founder’s murder, according to multiple reports.
In a statement posted to its website just three days after Kirk’s assassination, the group defended its political mission, arguing that efforts to restrict gun ownership among transgender people amount to “politically motivated propaganda.” The statement did not mention Kirk or his killing.
“We condemn the actions of Trump and his DOJ [Department of Justice], we condemn the pundits who hold water for this reactionary ploy, and we condemn anyone who wishes to sacrifice our trans comrades on the altar of the culture war that they may attain greater power,” Socialist Rifle Association wrote. “The most cursory analysis reveals that trans people of all genders commit far fewer shootings than their cis-male cohorts, both in raw count and per-capita. The angle that there is a ‘trans shooter problem’ is pure theater.”
While the group’s Maine chapter has not been linked to violence, the state’s 2023 law banning unauthorized paramilitary training could expose Platner to criminal penalties if prosecutors determine his instruction aimed to incite disorder, according to The Robinson Report. Photos from the chapter’s pages show at least 20 members engaged in weapons training under Platner’s supervision.
A Reddit post titled “Intro Rifle/Pistol with Maine SRA” shows members of the group participating in a live training session. An X post features photos that appear to show Platner himself taking part in the firearms course alongside other armed participants.
Platner made headlines after a resurfaced video showed a skull tattoo on his chest resembling the Nazi SS “Death’s Head” emblem. He denied any Nazi connection on Pod Save America on Monday, saying he and fellow Marines got the tattoo while drunk on leave in Croatia in 2007, unaware of its meaning. The candidate told Politico on Tuesday that he intends to get the tattoo removed.
More of Platner’s past comments surfaced, including a 2020 Reddit comment where he said he wore the “antifa supersoldier” tag on his gear, Axios reported. Separate deleted posts from 2018 show him claiming that true economic fairness requires an armed workforce and suggesting that anyone seeking to oppose fascism without a semi-automatic weapon should study history, according to Politico.
Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is backing Platner against Democratic Gov. Janet Mills for Maine’s Senate nomination. Platner has positioned himself as the left-wing challenger to Mills, who entered the race with the support of party leadership.
Platner’s campaign did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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