WASHINGTON - A Democratic Senate candidate from Maine, Graham Platner, said he covered up a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol that he got on his chest nearly two decades ago.
It’s the latest controversy surrounding the Marine and U.S. Army veteran and oyster farmer. He was recently under scrutiny for posts he made on Reddit forums years ago in which he called himself a socialist-turned-communist and said all police are bastards, among other comments. He has since apologized for his posts, noting that he was struggling with mental health challenges at the time.
Platner, 41, told USA TODAY in an emailed statement that he got the tattoo, which resembles the Totenkopf, a Nazi symbol featuring a skull and crossbones, when he was in his early 20s during his third deployment in Croatia.
The Anti-Defamation League, which seeks to combat antisemitism, says on its website that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler’s paramilitary group Schutzstaffel adopted the Totenkopf image, which the nonprofit classified as a "hate symbol."
"It was not until I started hearing from reporters and DC insiders that I realized this tattoo resembled a Nazi symbol," Platner said. "I absolutely would not have gone through life having this on my chest if I knew that – and to insinuate that I did is disgusting. I am already planning to get this removed."
