California congressman on Graham Platner’s past actions

WASHINGTON (KYMA, CBS) - Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) spoke with Margaret Brennan on Face the Nation Sunday about U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner's (D-Maine) past actions.

According to Brennan, Platner is one of the candidates running to challenge Sen. Susan Collins' (R-Maine) seat on the U.S. Senate.

Brennan said Platner is a Veteran and an "oyster man with this anti-establishment progressive message."

However, Brennan said his campaign acknowledged he had sent sexually explicit texts to multiple women while he was married, had a tattoo with Nazi symbols he had covered up, claiming he didn't know the linkage and symbolism, and had social media posts insulting rural people downplaying sexual assault.

Brennan then said Platner has apologized, or said he regrets some of the behavior, and said he referred to the fact he has dealt with PTSD and some alcohol issues.

When asked why he is still campaigning for Platner after all of the questions about actions, comments and activities in his personal life, Rep. Khanna said:

"I want to be clear: his actions were misogynistic, they were shameful, they were wrong, but they didn't come as a surprise to a lot of the folks in Maine. People in Maine knew that he had had two tours of duty in Iraq. He came back broken in a dark place. That doesn't excuse his behavior, but they knew this. He was in Washington, and then he went back to Maine, and he started an oyster farm. He took accountability. He himself has said it was shameful, and he had redemption. And now he's running on a platform of national health insurance when Susan Collins is voting to cut it. He's talking about taxing billionaires. Susan Collins is for tax breaks to billionaires, and he's opposed to this foreign war where Susan Collins supported the war in Iran, and that's why I'm still supporting him."

Brennan then asked the congressman is he was confident all the damaging info is out, and he said:

"My sense is, before the primary, a lot of this has come out. Obviously, look, if there was evidence of violence, I would not support him. If there was evidence of sexual assault, I'd have zero support for him. He acknowledges that he was misogynistic, it was shameful. One thing I want to make very clear, we should not be attacking the women who came forward. We should not be attacking the journalists. Some people have been attacking the New York Times journalists...they did their job. We should focus on acknowledging it was misogynistic, acknowledging it was wrong, moving on with redemption, and then focusing on his issues, which are stopping the war, taking on the billionaire class."

During the interview, Brennan and Khanna talked about Lyndsey Field, a woman who used to date Platner, who said while he never hit or punched her, he could be rough, describing him pulling her arm when she refused to get of a car.

This prompted Brennan to ask Khanna if he believes her, to which he said:

"Yes, and I don't think our side should be attacking her, and I appreciate her courage from coming forward. I know some people are saying, 'Oh, she's a Republican.' I think that is irrelevant. I believe her. I think Graham acted shamefully, and he acted as The New York Times characterized it, as a toxic relationship. It is shameful. It is ugly. It happened in a dark period of his life, and the Maine voters that I met said they don't like it. They knew that he had these chapters. They are willing to extend him grace and redemption, and they're focused now on what he's running for. But I do not think we should be attacking her."

To watch more of Brennan's interview with Khanna, click here.