Robbie Keane’s path back to Celtic has hit a massive wall, is due to him not condemning Israel’s ongoing genocide in Palestine.

A club where he once dazzled on loan is no longer warmly remembering him for his footballing achievements. What began as murmurs of discomfort has now hardened into robust opposition.

Dozens of Celtic supporter groups have signed a joint letter opposing Keane’s potential appointment, citing his decision to manage Maccabi Tel Aviv during Israel’s genocide of the Palestinians in Gaza.

The message is blunt. The mood is serious and the pressure on the Celtic board is unmistakable.

Celtic fans aren’t having it

Keane, the Republic of Ireland’s record goalscorer, is among the frontrunners to replace Brendan Rodgers after reports of ongoing talks with principal shareholder Dermot Desmond.

In a statement, the coalition of groups said:

For us, Robbie Keane’s decision to manage Maccabi Tel Aviv during the genocide in Gaza is impossible to ignore.

Celtic was founded by a community shaped by the legacy of genocide, displacement and famine.

Our club’s roots lie in solidarity with those who suffered injustice and oppression. We cannot forget where we came from, nor turn our backs on those facing genocide today.

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Celtic fans clearly do not care about his ability as a manager; they see a man who has not spoken to oppose Israel’s genocide. And, in managing Maccabi Tel Aviv, Keane took a position with a club whose fans regularly chant “death to Arabs.”

If Keane had not realised, he will know now that the world and the club have changed and that being silent is being complicit.

Keane’s decision to remain in Israel after the outbreak of the Gaza genocide has become the defining issue for a significant section of the Celtic support. What might once have been a footnote in his managerial journey has become, for many, a line that cannot be crossed.

A growing movement

In recent days, the opposition has spilled from online forums into the physical space around Celtic Park. Graffiti and banners rejecting the idea of Keane as manager have appeared outside the stadium, signalling that this is not a fringe sentiment but a movement with momentum.

The catalyst was a statement published by a group calling itself Celtic Fans for the Liberation of Palestine. It set out a clear, uncompromising stance:

Keane’s association with Maccabi Tel Aviv during the Gaza war is incompatible with Celtic’s identity and history.

That statement has now been endorsed by 67 supporter groups, according to the North Curve Celtic account on X. The list includes some of the club’s most influential and recognisable fan collectives, the Green Brigade, the Bhoys Celtic ultras, and long‑established supporters’ clubs such as Glasgow University CSC and Craigneuk Tommy Gemmell CSC.

This is not a handful of dissenting voices. It is a coalition.

A fanbase that won’t stay quiet

Celtic’s board now faces a delicate, high‑stakes decision. Keane is a recognisable name, a former fan favourite, and a manager with an average resume. However, the backlash is real, organised and rooted in the club’s cultural DNA.

The letter from supporters warns that appointing Keane would be predictable and uninspiring at a time when Celtic should be showing ambition. More importantly, it argues that the move would fracture the unity required for the club’s next chapter.

This is not simply a debate about a manager. It is a debate about what Celtic stands for.

Keane’s situation is the latest example of how global politics increasingly intersects with football. Managers and players are no longer judged solely on results or style; their choices, associations and moral positions are scrutinised with unprecedented intensity.

For Celtic, a club with a uniquely political fan culture, that scrutiny is amplified.

Supporters have long embraced causes beyond football, from anti‑racism to workers’ rights to Palestinian solidarity. The club’s identity is inseparable from its community roots, and its fanbase has never been shy about challenging decisions that clash with those values.

In that context, the opposition to Keane is not surprising.

What happens next?

The Celtic board has not publicly commented on the letter or the growing backlash. Keane remains one of the leading candidates, but the political temperature around his candidacy has risen sharply.

If Celtic proceed with the appointment, they risk a rift with a vocal and influential section of their support. If they back away, they will be seen as a moral and fair ownership that listens to their fanbase.

This is a dynamic that could shape future managerial decisions if he is morally fit for the job.

The coming days will reveal whether the board believes the weight of fan opposition makes his appointment untenable.

What is certain is that this is no longer just a managerial rumour. It is a test of what Celtic stands for and who gets to define it.

Featured Image via Matthias Hangst/Getty Images

By Faz Ali

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In January 2024, the EU established sanctions against individuals and entities supporting Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. It has now broadened these sanctions to also target members of Hamas’ Political Bureau, known as the ‘Politburo’.

EU extends Hamas sanctions to include 10 political members

According to the EU, the Politburo is a decision-making body, so its members are “responsible for violent actions carried out by Hamas.” 10 members now find themselves sanctioned. Measures include travel bans and the:

freezing of all funds and economic resources belonging to, owned, held or controlled by, members of the Politburo.

This decision comes as the Israeli occupation continues, with impunity, its fully documented genocide of Palestinians.

In a statement, Hamas has said the EU’s sanctioning of its political bureau, but not the Israeli occupation is:

a policy of double standards in dealing with the Palestinian cause.

It questions why political leaders defending their people’s legitimate rights are sanctioned, while the EU “turns a blind eye” to documented violations of international law carried out by “Israel”.

According to the EU, Hamas’:

violent actions constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and of human rights law.

It has also accused Hamas of continuing to “represent a threat to international peace and security.”

Far fetched lies

But what about Israel? This is blatant hypocrisy. Far fetched lies against Hamas, including of mass rapes and beheaded babies on 7 October 2023, have been disproved by publications such as the Electronic Intifada. They are part of the occupation’s campaign to go to any lengths to justify its ongoing genocidal assault of Gaza.

Yet there is no doubt whatsoever about the Israeli occupation’s long list of international law violations. These began almost eight decades ago, when ‘Israel’ was formed in 1948. It forcibly displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their homes, and has failed, to this day today, to respect their right to return. And its atrocities continue. These include the crimes of forcible displacement, ethnic cleansing, apartheid, starvation, torture, collective punishment, and genocide. It also systematically violates its ceasefire agreements.

These ‘Israeli’ war crimes and crimes against humanity, are not only directed towards Palestinians. Since 2023, it has also targeted countries across the Middle East– Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and Yemen.

‘Israel’ a threat to humanity

‘Israel’ has global supply chains, and one of the most advanced, heavily funded militaries in the world. It also has a total disregard for humanity, and fails to comply with any international rules or norms. In reality, nothing threatens global peace and security more than the Israeli occupation. It a serious threat not only to regional and international peace and security. but the entire international legal framework.

By expanding its sanctions on Hamas, the EU claims it is “holding perpetrators accountable”. It also states that it demonstrates that “violent actions and extremism carry consequences.”

But as yet, the EU has taken no effective measures against the criminal state of “Israel” which, as of 4 June 2026, has killed 72,956 Palestinians in Gaza, and injured 173,043. It has sanctioned several illegal settlers, out of the more than 780,000 residing in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. But sanctioning a few of these is nothing more than theatre.

EU failing Palestinian people

These settlers carry out criminal acts for the Zionist government, which the EU has failed to sanction. There have been no arms embargos, no trade sanctions. The EU is the Israeli occupation’s largest trading partner. Trade in goods between the two amounted to €43.3 billion in 2025. The EU takes in nearly 30 percent of all Israeli occupation exports, while accounting for almost 35 percent of all goods imported into ‘Israel’.

It is the Israeli occupation that is the source of conflict and instability. There would be no Hamas if there were no occupation. Resistance to “Israel” is a legal right for all Palestinians, guaranteed under international law, so cannot be criminalised.

Hamas says the targeting of its political leaders confirms these sanctions come “as a response to pressure from the occupation and are not based on standards of justice.” And it calls on the EU to “review its biased policies, cease providing political cover for the occupation, and work to hold its leaders accountable instead of prosecuting the victims.”

According to Hamas, the will of the Palestinian people and their legitimate national rights will not be undermined, irrespective of any measures introduced.

Featured image via Getty/John Moore

By Charlie Jaay

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England’s Test summer did not so much begin as detonate. Sixteen wickets, two rain breaks, one rampant seamer back from the sidelines, and a Lord’s crowd jolted awake before they had even settled into their seats — the kind of relentless cricket England at Lord’s so often produces.

By stumps, New Zealand were 61 for 6 chasing England’s 140 all out, and Ollie Robinson had rewritten the script of his own career in a single breathless over. In truth, anyone who has witnessed England at Lord’s knows how quickly things can change.

What unfolded on day one was not tidy, was not measured, and certainly was not the “smarter cricket” England have been preaching since the Ashes. It was chaotic, unpredictable, and pure Test cricket.

Robinson returns on fire at England’s Lord’s Test

Robinson hadn’t bowled a Test over since early 2024. Fitness issues, form questions, and a sense that England had moved on had left him drifting on the margins. So when Ben Stokes gave him the ball under overcast skies, Robinson responded with four wickets in six balls. A triple-wicket maiden to announce his return at Lord’s in England colours.

Devon Conway was first, pinned lbw after two jittery inside edges. Kane Williamson followed, undone by a ball that climbed and flicked to short leg. Then Rachin Ravindra, trapped by a nip-backer that straightened late. New Zealand were 2-3, Robinson was 3-0, and the game at Lord’s continued without pause.

He was not done there. Later, Daryl Mitchell shouldered arms to one that jagged back and clipped the stumps. Robinson closed the day with 4-10 from six overs a spell that reminded England exactly why they had made the right call.

Brook stood tall as Jamieson ran riot

Put in to bat, England’s innings was a familiar mix of promise and collapse. Harry Brook’s 56 was the lone act of resistance, a counterpunching half-century built on crisp timing and a little luck. He was dropped twice on his way to fifty.

Around him, wickets tumbled. Emilio Gay, on debut, struck two stylish boundaries before edging Kyle Jamieson. Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell were trapped lbw in quick succession. Joe Root nicked off. Jamie Smith misjudged a leave. Ben Stokes fell to a stunning one-handed grab from Williamson at slip.

Jamieson, playing his first Test in more than two years, was relentless. His 5-62, his sixth five-wicket haul in just 20 Tests. Absolutely shredded England’s middle order. Nathan Smith and Will O’Rourke backed him up with sharp, disciplined spells.

Brook’s 10 boundaries gave England something to cling to, and a gritty last-wicket stand between Shoaib Bashir and Josh Tongue nudged the total to 140. Not enough, on most days. Luckily, this was not most days. For England at Lord’s, 140 can sometimes be made to look like a mountain.

New Zealand was feeling the heat

If England’s batting was shaky, their bowling was anything but. Gus Atkinson trapped Tom Latham lbw. Tongue, hitting the stumps for his 50th Test wicket, removed Tom Blundell. Glenn Phillips, counterattacking with 31 not out, was the only New Zealander to look remotely settled.

The day belonged to Robinson. Every ball he bowled carried menace, the wickets just kept on falling for him.

England’s reset began in chaos

This was supposed to be the start of England’s post-Ashes recalibration. A shift toward clarity, discipline, and smarter decision-making. Instead, it was a reminder that Test cricket rarely follows the script.

The pitch misbehaved. The ball swung, seamed, and spat. Also, in the middle of it all, Robinson rediscovered the version of himself England have been desperate to see again. The drama of England at Lord’s never seems to disappoint.

With New Zealand 79 runs behind and only four wickets in hand, day two promises more drama. The pitch won’t get easier. The bowlers won’t get kinder. England, for all their batting issues, have the momentum.

This Test already feels like a scrap. It is messy, unpredictable, and utterly compelling. If Robinson’s opening salvo is anything to go by, England’s summer might just have found its spark.

Featured image courtesy of David Rogers / Getty Images

By Faz Ali

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A mammoth 25-mile Palestine march is set to take place on Saturday June 6, despite disgraceful attempts by pro-genocide loyalists to stop it. The March for Gaza in the north of Ireland will run from Lurgan to Omeath, just over the border, covering a distance mirroring the length of Gaza itself. Zionist terrorists have dropped the equivalent of more than six atomic bombs on the tiny area since beginning their holocaust in October 2023.

Organisers, the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign Lurgan (IPSC Lurgan) say the march will:

…raise money for medical supplies, temporary shelters and much needed food and water for the people living amidst the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza presently.

Sadly, loyalists supportive of so-called ‘Israel’ have been attempting to block this noble effort. Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MLAs asked the Parades Commission to stop the march. The Parades Commission rules on the contentious issue of parades and protests in the Six Counties. Parades with sectarian elements, particularly those around the July 12, have often involved large scale disorder.

A march for “people of conscience”

The DUP falsely claimed that the march’s route was:

…deliberately chosen to provoke tensions within a quiet rural community which neither supports nor welcomes it.

In fact, the exact opposite is the case. As IPSC Lurgan explained in their application to the Parades Commission:

We have taken much care and deliberation with the route, trying to avoid any areas which would not like to have a procession passing through them. As such we are mostly travelling by country roads until we reach the Newry Canal towpath.

The main controversy revolves around the village of Scarva, populated mainly by people from a Protestant/unionist/loyalist (PUL) background. The default assumption is they identify more with ‘Israel’, whereas those from a Catholic/nationalist/republican (CNR) tradition are generally pro-Palestine.

However, the distinction is not always clearcut, and many from PUL communities have been appalled by the Zionist entity’s litany of war crimes. Retired Presbyterian minister Mark Gray has described the march as:

…an opportunity for people of conscience to have a say, and to express solidarity with Palestine.

There was minor unrest in Scarva the same march last year, when the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) made four arrests. A BBC report published at the time suggested these were from the unlawful pro-genocide counter-protest, who jeered the march while holding the flag of the apartheid Zionist settler-colony.

The outrage around the march is thus largely confected. Participants won’t even pass through the town itself, but will instead march along the Newry canal towpath that runs adjacent to Scarva. This didn’t stop cynical DUP efforts to characterise the march as a “deliberately provocative parade” and an “overtly political demonstration”, rather than the humanitarian cause that it clearly is.

Attempted counter-march fails

Their efforts have led to the Parades Commission imposing certain restrictions on participants. These include ruling that:

…no participant in the parade shall enter Scarva…

The Commission also ordered that:

While the parade passes along the part of the notified route along the Newry Canal Towpath at Scarva, no flags or emblems of any type shall be displayed and no chanting or singing shall take place.

Other local groups have tried to interfere with the march. A group called Scarva Concerned Residents have requested permission to stage a counter-protest in the town from 10:00 to 17:00. The Commission has granted this, and imposed typical conditions such as forbidding alcohol consumption and “paramilitary-style clothing.”

More alarmingly, the loyalist Markethill Volunteers Flute Band attempted to stage a transparent attempt to block the March for Gaza. They requested permission to walk down the same narrow route, at the same time, in the opposite direction.

The group, which has never submitted a Parades Commission application previously, comically suggested their event was “organised in good faith”, and that the “sole purpose” was “charitable and community-focused”. The Parades Commission ultimately ruled that they would have to start their march from Scarva to Portadown at 14:30. That is, after the March for Gaza passed Scarva.

Betraying their real motives, the band railed against what it called a “Republican appeasement process“. They will now join the Scarva Concerned Residents instead. They are calling for “thousands on the streets” to counter what they incorrectly describe as a “Republican / Palestine march through [the] village”.

In reality, the pro-Palestine contingent is likely to vastly outnumber those who sadly have a worldview so narrow, they put petty sectarian concerns over recognising the horror of a genocide that has now lasted almost three years.

Featured image via Charles McQuillan / Getty images

By Robert Freeman

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British legacy media insist on platforming ex-military ‘experts’ without mentioning their war industry side-hustles — an issue the Canary has pointed out repeatedly. A deep-dive investigation has now revealed just how widespread the issue really is.

In April 2026, the Canary reported that former Labour MP and ex-NATO chief Lord Robertson was platformed to talk about war spending without his long-standing links to the military industry being disclosed. You can read about here and here.

NGO Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) on 3 June that an analysis of media reports between 2015 and May 2026:

NGO Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) reported on 3 June that an analysis of British media coverage between 2015 and May 2026 reveals:

a repeated pattern where almost 60% of former key military personnel with links to the defence industry were found to have been – at least once – cited in the British media primarily by a reference to their rank and previous service, without audiences being informed of their current post-service defence advisory roles, consultancies, directorships, or financial interests.

Action on Armed Violence added:

So, while post-service commercial work is common, we documented a systemic failure of the UK media to disclose such employment and to highlight potential conflicts of interest.

The NGO examined media coverage of 33 former senior military figures who had subsequently taken up roles with defence, security, technology, and intelligence companies.

Of these, we found that 19 or 58% of these had been given a media platform to debate defence matters – at least on one occasion – without the media outlets involved identified noting their commercial or financial interests in the defence industry.

Instead of informing the public about the individual’s links to war firms:

commentators were identified solely by their former military rank or previous command positions. This, we contend, creates the impression of impartial and independent expertise.

Misleading the public

Simply put, legacy media outlets are misleading the public knowingly or otherwise. Any guest booker or producer worth their salt routinely checks for and disclose potential conflicts of interest.

AOAV said:

In the UK, the public’s understanding of matters of war, national security, and defence policy is almost entirely shaped by media commentary from figures presented as authoritative military experts.

Adding:

The go-to for most reporters is retired senior officers and former commanders, who are routinely quoted in print, broadcast, and digital media to explain unfolding conflicts, defence budgets, military power and, of course, to offer their opinion.

Senior ex-military officer’s views, AOAV said, “carry substantial weight:”

largely because of their professional reputation, long service, and the perceived impartiality of military expertise which – especially in the UK – is largely seen to be apolitical.

This is the assumed position of most public servants and such assumption of impartiality implicitly reaches across into their post-service opinion.

A 2024 Parliamentary report also found:

A 2024 quantitative investigation of the robustness of international trends concluded that trust in ‘representative institutions,’ such as governments, parliaments and political parties has been declining.

However:

trust in ‘implementing institutions’ such as courts, police and militaries has remained stable.

The reasons for this can be debated, but AOAV’s study suggests that the public may be being taken for a ride on the basis of lingering trust in the military institution. Military and intelligence officials are rarely neutral or apolitical actors. Retired officers-turned-media talking heads with well-paid war industry jobs never are. And no media outlet should deprive audiences of such a critical detail.

Featured image via Matt Cardy / Getty Images

By Joe Glenton

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(Andrew Fare/Alamy)

4 min read20 min

Music has always been part of my life. From an early age, I can remember my big sister blaring out the Top 40 from her transistor radio.

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And I was hooked.Nowadays, music is what allows me to make sense of the world and to process what’s going on around me. That’s why one of the first things I did on getting to my office in Westminster was to install a record player and bring some of my vinyl in from home. Anyone walking nearby will often hear strains of Smokey Robinson, Miles Davis or The Jam.

I taught myself to play the guitar at 14, listening to my favourite records and learning how to play along by ear. I’d practise until my fingers were red raw – and joined my first band at 15. My musical journey has seen me play many festivals over the years, as well as hundreds of pubs and other venues. And while people may not believe this, my bands have never played covers – only my own songs. Maybe that’s why I’m not famous.

Later this summer, I’ll be playing a solo benefit gig for my friend and fellow Labour MP, Brian Leishman, in his constituency.

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Of course, when I started things were different, but now I worry about the younger generation’s access to music.

In 1970s Britain, unemployment benefit was used by many aspiring musicians as an unofficial arts grant. It enabled bands like The Clash to write, rehearse and master their instruments, while still being able to live. For many working-class teenagers, it was a way to escape the life of mundane work that had defined previous generations. But those days are long gone.

Getting young people interested in music has been seen by all governments as a nice-to-have – but not essential. The Margaret Thatcher era saw a reduction in free instrumental lessons, which was further damaged by the austerity of the 2010s. In England, the vision of music education is delivered through music hubs, established in 2012 and recently restructured into 43 regional hubs.

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The Labour government has put renewed emphasis on cultural entitlement in schools, and the direction is welcome, but for the system to thrive, intent must now be matched by actions.

The most pressing issue is funding. In England, core music hub funding has remained broadly static since 2017 despite inflation and an expanding remit, while local authority contributions have in most cases been removed altogether. In real terms, this amounts to a 20 per cent cut since 2012. This limits sustainability, ambition and of course, access. Music should be for everyone.

I’d practise until my fingers were red raw

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Curriculum and accountability pressures, particularly the English Baccalaureate, have also reduced music provision in many schools, especially at key stage 3, and contributed to lower uptake at advanced levels. Restoring balance to accountability measures is essential.

There is also a growing workforce crisis. Recruitment to music teacher training continues to fall short and increasing numbers of teachers have left the profession. This has led to greater reliance on non-specialists, which further restricts provision.

Uncertainty through year-on-year funding cycles constrains the ability of music hubs to plan strategically or invest in long-term development, highlighting the need for more stable, long-term funding.

Inequality of access remains, with cost and geography creating a postcode lottery. The system can also appear fragmented in an academised landscape, despite the move to larger hubs. Music also faces an issue of status within schools, too often seen as optional rather than central. While beginner access has improved, progression pathways remain inconsistent.

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As a nation with an outstanding musical heritage, music is one of the UK’s defining strengths and a major cultural export. This cultural strength is matched economically: the UK music industry contributed £8bn to the economy in 2024. But if we want to see another The Clash in the future, the system requires renewed investment, long-term stability and a clear commitment to placing music and the arts back at the heart of education. 

Neil Duncan-Jordan is Labour MP for Poole

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Brian Armstrong on Dimon, Trump, and crypto’s future

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Democrats are at each other’s throats about Graham Platner after his latest scandal. They don’t know what to do about it.

The New York Times released a report Thursday with disturbing accounts from several of Platner’s ex-girlfriends, just days before he is set to win the Democratic nomination to face GOP Sen. Susan Collins in Maine, a critical Senate battleground. One woman described Platner grabbing her in ways that left marks and once locking her in a room. She also claimed he knew that his tattoo resembled a Nazi symbol when he got it — something he has repeatedly denied.

The report — on the heels of last week’s news that Platner had sexted other women while married — left Democrats torn. Some view Platner, whose campaign has persisted despite a series of scandals, as their only chance to take down Collins. He continuously led Democratic Gov. Janet Mills in primary polling before she suspended her campaign in April, and has led the Republican senator in public head-to-head polls.

“Several donors I know are still all-in for Platner because he’s not Susan Collins and he’s a Democrat,” said Alex Hoffman, a Democratic strategist and donor adviser. “The line that keeps being thrown around is the double standard that exists between Republicans and Democrats, where if this was a Republican, they’d all be getting behind him.”

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who is scheduled to campaign with Platner on Friday, reiterated his support. And some Democrats online were quick to castthe ex-girlfriend of Platner who spoke on record to The Times, Lyndsey Fifield, as a partisan activist because she has worked in Republican politics.

Still, others warned that he’s a loose cannon and there’s no predicting what other information about his past will spill into public view. What has already come to light, they argued, might already be enough to sink his candidacy, not to mention undermine the party’s core values.

“Democrats in Maine and throughout the country have got to decide what is their priority: Justifying Graham Platner’s behavior or winning the Democratic seat in Maine,” said Robert Zimmerman, a New York-based Democratic National Committee member. “It’s very clear that Platner has not been able to credibly justify his conduct and Democrats who defend him sound like Republicans defending Donald Trump after the Access Hollywood tape.”

Winning Maine is all but a necessity for Democrats’ chances of taking back the Senate this fall. Collins is the only Republican senator up for reelection this year in a state former Vice President Kamala Harris won in 2024. If Democrats can’t knock her off, they’d have to win a far redder state, such as Iowa or Texas, to get control of the upper chamber.

Platner, on MSNOW on Thursday just hours after The Times published its story, denied the allegations of violence and said they were coming from someone who’s “politically motivated.” He said he has “not once” considered dropping out of the race.

“My journey is one of transformation. And I’m very happy to talk about that earlier part in my life. And I have no doubt that people will attempt to continue to revisit Reddit posts, continue to try to revisit parts of my past,” Platner said, referring to his previously unearthed offensive posts. “But I think what’s really important to note here is that these are things that I talk about in my past — things that I am not proud of — but it is a past that I had to go through to get where I am today.”

Platner said he did not have any communication Thursday with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee about exiting the race and making way for another candidate. And he said “I expect that we will not” because of the “outpouring of support” he has received.

However, some donors — even those who had previously opened their checkbooks for Platner — are starting to grow skittish.

“He’s now below the bar for my client group,” said one national donor adviser, who is telling their clients to send their money to other battleground Senate races instead.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who had recruited Mills to run, was silent when asked several questions about the Platner revelations in the Capitol halls by reporters Thursday.

“There is dramatically higher concern about losing Maine now across the caucus than there was before the stories broke,” said one senior Democratic Senate aide who, like others in this article, was granted anonymity to speak candidly. “Everyone realizes that without Maine the path to taking back the Senate is impossible.”

The aide added: “Everyone is apoplectic.”

But there was also frustration among some Democratic donors and operatives Thursday that the party was again cannibalizing one of its own, further jeopardizing its chances in what was already an uphill battle against a longtime GOP incumbent.

A Democratic consultant close to many of the party’s biggest donors said the sentiment among them has been that they don’t care about Platner’s scandals. Citing a conversation with a major donor who sits on the finance committee of one of the Democratic Party’s main national campaign arms, the consultant said he does not think that sentiment will change after the Times story.

“We don’t care. I think that’s the case for many donors. Anybody who beats Susan Collins will do,” said the consultant. The consultant attributed the indifference to the fact that it’s the “Trump era,” when allegations of wrongdoing simply don’t weigh as heavily as they once used to.

Platner is set to rally in Bar Harbor, Maine, on Friday with Khanna, who has endorsed him, and alongside Maine 2nd District candidate Matt Dunlap and gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson. Representatives for all three said the event was still set to go.

“The behavior described in the New York Times story was wrong and toxic. Graham has acknowledged that and sought redemption,” Khanna said in a statement Thursday. “The people of Maine deserve a senator who is going to stand up to the billionaire class, against genocide, and for the working class.”

Platner is all but certain to win Maine’s Democratic primary on Tuesday over Mills and 2024 Democratic Senate candidate David Costello. After that, Maine law allows the state party to replace Platner with another Democrat if he stepped down before mid-July. Such a move would be unprecedented in the state’s politics.

The Times report follows revelations last weekend that Platner had exchanged sexual messages with women other than his wife after they were married — which had already reignited Democratic fears that he could tank hard in November.

Platner, a political newcomer, has been dogged by scandals since the fall, when his Reddit history revealed a series of offensive posts suggesting, among other things, that victims of sexual assault should take more responsibility and that white rural Americans are stupid. Platner apologized for the posts, saying he was in a dark place at the time, and owned up to having a tattoo that resembles a Nazi symbol, though he said he didn’t realize the meaning at the time he got it and later had it covered.

The Times report reignited the controversy over Platner’s tattoo: Fifield told the paper he had referred to it as “my Totenkopf” while they were dating and knew about its Nazi connection.

“This is the most important seat for the next Democratic president to have a trifecta to act and accomplish all the things that all the people in the Democratic Party believe in — health care, child care, climate,” said Brian Romick, president of Democratic Majority for Israel. “And now we’re in a position where someone with a Nazi tattoo, inappropriate relationships with women, and racist Reddit posts is our person. And people need to answer for that.”

Cheyenne Hunt, the leader of the group Gen Z For Change, who had organized against former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) over allegations of sexual assault, rescinded her endorsement of Platner on Thursday.

“We have the responsibility to do what is right even when it’s politically inconvenient,” she said in a video posted on social media. “Women cannot be an acceptable sacrifice for the next election.”

William Steakin, Andrew Howard, Shia Kapos, Chris Sommerfeldt and Calen Razor contributed to this report.

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