When Democrat U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner accused his GOP incumbent rival of potential criminality she pulled out the “d” word.
But Sen. Susan Collins would have a high hill to climb proving – as she suggested – that Platner defamed her during a Thursday press conference.
Making a legal case for defamation is virtually impossible for a public figure such as a United States senator.
The law sets a much higher, virtually impossible, burden of proof for a public figure to win a defamation lawsuit.
A politician or celebrity, think Susan Collins, must first prove that allegedly false, damaging statements were in fact false and damaging.
Then, even if she met that legal test, Collins would have to prove the allegations were made with “actual malice.”
Proving malice as a byproduct of a political campaign is impossible.
Politicians say stuff all the time that is simply untrue but they aren’t held legally accountable.
If they were the civil court system would need its own zip code.
So Collins couldn’t have been serious accusing Platner of defamation.
The next question is why she took so to heart his allegations of funneling taxpayer money to her lobbyist husband.
If there’s no there, there, the better approach, perhaps, would have been to either ignore Platner or, barring that, just laugh off his claims as immature, born of inexperience and not worthy of a response.
In other words, treat Platner as if he were a joke, just a nuisance with no real political heft or substance or ideas of his own.
The problem with the over-the-top, knee-jerk reaction from Collins is she raises the importance of Platner’s accusations when in reality they may just be hot air.
But defamation? Not a chance, which Collins having gone there committed an unforced error – and that raises a question: did she do what he claims?
Collins in five successful Senate campaigns has consistently proved the naysayers wrong.
She most recently won by nine points a race pollsters claimed she could very well lose.
The latest Polymarket odds, however, indicate why Collins could actually be nervous.
Polymarket going into the weekend is giving Platner a 62-39 chance of dethroning the veteran senior Maine senator.
Polymarket bets have been consistently favoring Platner. His odds have slimmed only marginally, from 67-35 ten days ago.
Kalshi bettors on Friday were giving Platner an edge virtually the same as Polymarket – 61-39, actually an increase of two points for his winning odds from those measured ten days ago.
She should take him very seriously, a lot of voters do. The public schools have done a great job of not teaching your kids, same much they think communism is great.
And the problem is, democrat voters are incapable of connecting the dots. If you told them democrats have been running the State of Maine for the last 60yrs they will call you a liar and say but Trump.
Vote Republican all the way.
The article written at The Robinson Report about Platner’s ridiculous claim will clarify the issue for anyone who reads it .
Platner is a liar . Platner is a communist puppet , run by people than himself , from a long distance away .
The state of Maine needs Platner like a toothache .
Chose wisely on Election Day people .
Common sense says Collins ( although still a RINO ) is a far better and much safer choice for our state .
This article attacks Collins for accusing Platner of defamation. Note that she has not actually filed suit. Cohen’s diatribe might be more justified if she had. I don’t blame her one bit for accusing him of defamation. Hell, even the Portland Depressed Herald ran a strong op-ed defending Collins and her husband in response to Platner’s vague allegations of “corruption”. Cohen doesn’t even address the allegations, which are groundless.
Furthermore, any conservative worth their salt shouldn’t discuss the defamation standard for public figures (NY Times v Sullivan) without pointing out that it’s bad law. There is no constitutional basis for the higher standard, and it generally protects attacks by the liberal media on conservative figures.
The lady doth protest too much, methinks.
Susan is an ugly girl and a man hater.
Susan is dried up and has over stayed her welcome in congress. 30 years!!! Time to go ugly Sue!
Platner is a man. It’s time to bring men back into the leadership roles. Stupid girls are weak and have dumb ideas. Girls cheat. All the time.
Sue is a used up aipac flunky POS. aipac was created to defend a jew child rapist.
Susan Collins supports genocide. Israhell is a socialist apartheid genocidal parasitic inbred illegal settler colony. Stupid ugly Sue loves aipac money.
Look up aipac chikd rape. Yes, you have to misspell child.
PS
Platner has a cooler mustache than ugly boy looking Susan Commie Collins.
PSS
Susan won by 9 points in the same 2020 general election that Trump lost by 9 points. Look it up. Susan is not conservative. Ugly gross Sue has a lifetime heritage foundation conservative score of 24%. Democrats vote for Susan Collins.
She’s probably taking his seriously because she’s a serious politician – as opposed to you lunkheads at the MaineWire who are numbskulls.
Susan Collins’ response was exactly what one would expect from someone who is highly principled, who is known to have a strong, uncompromising moral or ethical compass.
Anyone who has lived as a “class act,” as Collins has, will instinctively and rightly defend her honor. The article in the “Robinson Report” convincingly supports the fact that Platner’s accusations were unfounded. Platner’s attempt to smear Collins is just one more example of his willingness to stoop to extremely offensive behavior.
We’re stuck with voting for a Nazi sympathizing, womanizing, lying, porta-pottie masterbating, adulterer, or an insider trading RINO.
P Hustle taking money from Billionaire Soros? I thought he blamed the billionaires for all that’s wrong in his little head. Not that one though…hmmm. If he’s 100% disabled how can he be a senator? Unemployable is what 100% disabled means. Also, Senator Tammy Duckworth was a combat Blackhawk helicopter pilot. Lost both her legs and use of 1 arm. She is 20% disabled per VA. P hustle is gaming the system and everyone who support his carefully crafted “hustle”.