Graham Platner says campaign will ‘reflect on the best path forward’ after sexual assault allegation
(MAINE) — Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner on Monday pushed back on an allegation of sexual assault, calling it “categorically false,” adding that he is “taking the time to reflect on the best path forward.”
In a report from Politico published on Monday, Jenny Racicot, a former girlfriend, alleged that Platner, while they were dating five years ago, forced her into having sex without her consent after she had repeatedly called for him to stop.
ABC News has not confirmed the contents of the Politico story.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
The arena for the upcoming UFC match on the South Lawn is seen as workers setup the Rose Garden for an evening event at the White House on June 3, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — The Justice Department on Tuesday urged a federal judge to reject a lawsuit seeking to stop the White House’s Ultimate Fighting Championship event scheduled for this weekend, attacking its plaintiffs as “two people who believe they have superior taste and want to spoil the event for everyone else.”
In a filing Tuesday evening, the department argued the lawsuit brought by two Virginia residents lacks any reasonable standing while describing the timing of the filing as “inexcusable” given the event was first announced nearly a year ago.
“It would be easy enough to simply avert their gazes for the weekend. Instead, they seek to enlist the power of a federal court to impose their idiosyncratic preferences on the rest of the country and ruin an event designed to celebrate the United States of America,” the department said. “No one is holding Plaintiffs in a jiu jitsu lock, forcing them to watch UFC Freedom 250 against their will. The public interest does not favor allowing them to exercise a heckler’s veto, particularly at this late date.”
In a lawsuit filed this weekend, the Public Integrity Project — representing a political activist and Vietnam veteran — claimed the event was improperly permitted, skipped an environmental review, and is an extraordinary use of public land to benefit President Donald Trump and his allies.
Calling the event “deeply corrupt,” the lawsuit alleged that the Trump administration improperly used a temporary rule for “America 250” to bypass the permitting requirements normally required to host events on National Park Service land. They argue that because the event is being organized by a private entity, not the federal government, and is not explicitly “for the celebration of the 250th anniversary of American Independence,” the fight does not qualify for that temporary rule.
In its filing, the Trump administration described the UFC fight as “one of the most highly anticipated events” in a series of others intended to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States, at one point likening it to the annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn and the Congressional Picnic.
At the same time, the filing highlights the extraordinary collaboration between the government and the UFC in preparing for the event, citing “well over $60 million and tens of thousands of hours of labor” that “have been expended” in order to carry it out.
“More than 4,000 spectators are expected to attend on the South Lawn, including more than 1,000 members of our armed services, and more than 120,000 visitors are expected to watch from the nearby Ellipse after winning free tickets in a lottery,” the filing said. “Fourteen world-class athletes, who have been training for months, have traveled from all over the world to compete (including for two world championships).”
The filing continued: “All these hopes could be dashed at the very last moment, however, by the whim of two people who believe they have superior taste and want to spoil the event for everyone else.”
The government has informed the judge overseeing the case, Amit Mehta, that counsel is available on Thursday in the event he wishes to schedule oral arguments.
Former National Security Adviser John Bolton speaks to reporters after speaking in a panel hosted by the National Council of Resistance of Iran – U.S. Representative Office (NCRI-US) at the Willard InterContinental Hotel on August 17, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton is expected to plead guilty over mishandling classified documents, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News Thursday.
Bolton could not immediately be reached for comment. The Department of Justice is declining to comment.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
The Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool along the National Mall on Tuesday, July 3, 2026 in Washington, D.C.Rushed work continues at the White House and across the nation’s capital in preparation for the country’s 250 anniversary on July 4. (Photo by Finn Gomez/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — Former U.S. Olympian David Hearn appeared in D.C. Superior Court on Thursday and pleaded not guilty through his attorney to the felony charge he faces for allegedly damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Hearn was seated between his attorneys, Steven Levin and Mary Dohrmann, with another attorney, Norm Eisen, seated behind them in a packed courtroom.
A sizable crowd gathered outside the courtroom and Eisen said that Hearn was being used as a “scapegoat” for the administration’s “failures” on one of Donald Trump’s pet Washington beautification projects.
The Reflecting Pool turned green and pieces of the liner started bubbling up to the surface after it was painted last month. It was plagued with algae and peeling paint since the Trump administration completed the $16 million renovation of the landmark.
President Donald Trump shifted the blame to vandals, without providing evidence. Hearn was among those arrested and Trump threatened 10-year prison terms.
Dohrmann, a former federal prosecutor who previously served on Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigative team, entered the not guilty plea on Hearn’s behalf. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Reddington was the lone prosecutor from the Justice Department present at the hearing, which concluded after only 13 minutes.
Judge Carmen McLean ordered Hearn released on his own recognizance and set the next status hearing in the case for Wednesday, Aug. 5.
Hearn was indicted on July 2 for allegedly “maliciously” destroying part of the lining of the Reflecting Pool. The single count of destruction of property — for a 2 square foot section of the massive pool — carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Eisen, an attorney for Hearn, briefly addressed reporters outside of court, drawing cheers from the crowd as he maintained his client’s innocence while declining to discuss substantive details about the case.
“Today, Davey Hearn pled not guilty because he is not guilty,” Eisen said. “If Mr. Hearn can be charged with a felony for touching the Reflecting Pool, every American is at risk and every American should be alarmed about this prosecution. This indictment reflects the administration’s effort to scapegoat Davey and to shift blame for their own failures.”
Eisen previewed an aggressive legal strategy to challenge the legality of the indictment similar to other foes of Trump who have accused the administration of weaponizing the Justice Department against them.
“We anticipate receiving substantial discovery,” Eisen said. “The evidence will establish, as we have stated today, Mr. Hearn is innocent. We will reserve questions about exactly what happened for the trial. That is what the justice system is for.”
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced the indictment in a press conference, alleging that Hearn was “forcefully and violently” pulling up the liner and “damaged approximately 2 square feet of sealant from the bottom of the pool.”
Hearn previously told ABC News that police arrested him after he touched a piece of blue coating that was partially detached from the bottom of the Reflecting Pool. He said he went for a bike ride on June 19 and stopped by the pool as a “curious, concerned citizen.”
“I did not remove, I did not damage, I did not rip, tear, break, destroy or harm any part of the Reflecting Pool,” Hearn told ABC News.
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is now being drained after the issues, which Trump blamed on vandals, including one he said used a boxcutter or knife to make a 350-foot gash in the pool. When asked by ABC News last Thursday about the president’s claim, Pirro said, “Someone intentionally did a tremendous amount of damage to the pool, and you can actually see where all the cutting is.”
