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RandySF

(88,952 posts)
Fri Jul 17, 2026, 03:19 PM Yesterday

'Professional malpractice': The Platner fallout engulfs the operatives who made him

The downfall of Platner, who denies the assault claim, has cast doubt on the model of scouring battleground states for candidates who fit the mold of charismatic outsider, and has left an uncertain future for the circle of operatives who engineered Platner’s rise. It’s not just Moraff and Katz facing the heat: Fight Agency, the buzzy progressive firm founded by veteran strategist Rebecca Katz, which Moraff is not a part of, had been riding a remarkable hot streak after propelling Mamdani to City Hall and sweeping several closely watched New York primaries last month — victories that gave momentum to a progressive power shift and made its strategists among the most sought-after and scrutinized operatives in Democratic politics.

“In the year and a half since FIGHT launched, we have taken on the DC establishment and the political machine time after time, and won,” Rebecca Katz and Morris Katz said in a joint statement to POLITICO. “We have defeated establishment incumbents, FIGHT has shown in district after district across the country that there is a hunger for a populist politics that takes on a broken status quo . We make ads, advise candidates on strategy, and win races — we are proud of the work we do. And we enjoy doing it together. While there’s no relation, we are family.”

Moraff declined to comment.

Interviews with more than two dozen Democratic operatives, former campaign officials and people who worked with Fight Agency and Moraff on other campaigns — along with internal text messages, emails and documents reviewed by POLITICO — paint a damning portrait of how the Platner advisers sold an under-vetted candidate as the future of the party despite warnings from the campaign’s own staff. And it wasn’t just isolated to Maine.



https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/17/platner-is-finished-does-the-same-fate-await-the-out-of-state-consultants-who-recruited-him-01002652






10 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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'Professional malpractice': The Platner fallout engulfs the operatives who made him (Original Post) RandySF Yesterday OP
They are scam artists. The one interview I saw with them left me feeling like I needed to take a shower afterward. QueerDuck Yesterday #1
When they laughed about the mess they made? RandySF Yesterday #2
That's the one. 🤢🤮 QueerDuck 23 hrs ago #4
I just posted it. RandySF 23 hrs ago #5
This message was self-deleted by its author RandySF 23 hrs ago #6
I think... 2naSalit 23 hrs ago #3
Well, that was Interesting.. Cha 22 hrs ago #7
I fully expect Platner to make bank via a podcast or speaking tour MikeyDi 22 hrs ago #9
We shall see if he wants to Cha 21 hrs ago #10
jesus. how about seek out good dems in lower offices mopinko 22 hrs ago #8

QueerDuck

(2,583 posts)
1. They are scam artists. The one interview I saw with them left me feeling like I needed to take a shower afterward.
Fri Jul 17, 2026, 03:22 PM
Yesterday

Response to QueerDuck (Reply #4)

2naSalit

(105,430 posts)
3. I think...
Fri Jul 17, 2026, 04:07 PM
23 hrs ago

Maine State Democratic Party should sue the fuck out of them. I'll stand in as the plaintiff with standing if they need one.

Cha

(321,883 posts)
7. Well, that was Interesting..
Fri Jul 17, 2026, 05:18 PM
22 hrs ago

poor Sage got "left out in the cold" in Iowa because the genius team of Katz and Moraff was propping up their Maine candidate, Planter.

Wonder if Planter ever wishes they hadn't shown up at his door?

Thanks for this, RandySF.

Best Luck for the Dem who wins the primary this time:

MikeyDi

(78 posts)
9. I fully expect Platner to make bank via a podcast or speaking tour
Fri Jul 17, 2026, 05:49 PM
22 hrs ago

He's got to milk what's left of his 15 minutes, and there are enough progressives who sympathize with whatever the hell is message was to make some cash.

Cha

(321,883 posts)
10. We shall see if he wants to
Fri Jul 17, 2026, 06:49 PM
21 hrs ago

get back to his life before Katz and Moraff, or hit the road?

In the meantime, Dems have Midterms to win!

mopinko

(74,370 posts)
8. jesus. how about seek out good dems in lower offices
Fri Jul 17, 2026, 05:28 PM
22 hrs ago

who r ready for the next step? or ppl who work for liberal advocacy orgs?
y do we let ppl who hate the party participate in our process?

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