Key facts
- Rep. Brad Schneider criticized Senate candidate Graham Platner's claim of ignorance regarding his tattoo's Nazi origins.
- Schneider stated Platner likely knew the tattoo's meaning and should 'own it and move on.'
- Platner obtained the tattoo, a Totenkopf, in 2007 and covered it up after it became a campaign issue.
- Other Democrats, including Rep. Jake Auchincloss and Sen. John Fetterman, have also criticized Platner's statements about the tattoo.
- Platner is running against Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine.
Rep. Brad Schneider, a senior House Democrat, has publicly criticized Senate candidate Graham Platner's assertion that he was unaware of the Nazi origins of his tattoo. Schneider, chairman of the New Democrat Coalition, stated that Platner likely knew the meaning of the tattoo, which features a Totenkopf, and should acknowledge it. Platner, who is running against Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine, is facing multiple controversies, including allegations of sending sexually explicit messages, a history of offensive social media posts, and claims of abuse. The New York Times reported that several ex-girlfriends stated Platner knew the tattoo's Nazi-linked design, with one, Lyndsey Fifield, recalling him referring to it as 'my Totenkopf' and joking about its Nazi association. Platner has denied these accounts, including allegations of assault. He obtained the tattoo in 2007 while stationed in Croatia and covered it up after it became a campaign issue in late 2025. Other prominent Democrats, such as Rep. Jake Auchincloss and Sen. John Fetterman, have also voiced criticism regarding Platner's statements about the tattoo. Graham Platner returned to the campaign trail in Maine on Friday amid more allegations about "unsettling" and "toxic" behavior toward women.