Daniel Moraff, the political operative credited with persuading Graham Platner to run for the US Senate, was reportedly removed from a previous congressional campaign after multiple women complained of sexual harassment, according to labour publication Payday Report.
A political strategist who helped bring Graham Platner into the Maine Senate race was previously barred from a congressional campaign following sexual harassment complaints from at least three women, Payday Report has reported. Daniel Moraff, 31, a Yale Law-educated operative, had worked on efforts to elect Rep. Summer Lee to Congress in Pennsylvania before being prohibited from attending campaign events or contacting staff. The disclosure comes after Platner suspended his own Senate campaign this week following an allegation that he raped a woman while drunk, a claim he denies.
Removed From Summer Lee’s Campaign
According to Payday Report, Moraff had originally helped recruit Summer Lee to run for state office in Pittsburgh before going on to work on her successful 2022 campaign for Congress in Pennsylvania, representing the party’s left-leaning “Squad” wing. However, the publication reported that he was swiftly barred from campaign events and from communicating with staff after several women came forward with complaints about his conduct.
One woman, who was not named in the report, alleged that Moraff had been sexually aggressive towards volunteers and activists during the campaign. “He doesn’t have boundaries with women, nor much of an ethical code,” she said, adding that she was not surprised he had gone on to back Platner. Another woman who made similar claims against Moraff put it more bluntly: “Birds of a feather flock together and Moraff and Platner were predators.”
Building a Brand Around ‘Unconventional’ Candidates
Payday Report said Moraff found it difficult to continue working as a political consultant after being pushed out of the Lee campaign. He subsequently built a strategy centred on recruiting unconventional candidates whom he believed could appeal to white working-class voters who had become disillusioned with the Democratic Party. Platner, an oyster farmer with no prior political experience, became the most prominent example of that approach.
According to the report, Moraff and his fiancée, Leanne Fan, became enthusiastic about Platner after watching a video of him in the summer of 2025, and moved quickly to have him enter the race. When the pair were later asked by the Wall Street Journal how thoroughly they had vetted him, footage showed them laughing at the question. Platner has since faced separate controversy after it emerged he had a Nazi tattoo.
Questions Raised Over Vetting Process
Payday Report said that on at least three occasions, other individuals urged Moraff to conduct a more thorough background check on Platner before his campaign gathered momentum, but that these requests were not acted upon.
Moraff Denies Allegations
Responding to the Payday Report findings, a spokesperson for Moraff said the claims against him were false. “Daniel never committed any acts of sexual misconduct,” the spokesperson told the New York Post. “If anyone has evidence of criminal conduct, they know exactly where to take it — a police station.” The spokesperson added that his political success had made him a target: “Winning in politics creates enemies. Daniel has always understood that.” Moraff has suggested the allegations stem from his efforts to “challenge the political establishment.”
Platner’s Campaign Unravels
Platner has denied the rape allegation that led to the suspension of his Senate bid this week, describing it as false, though he stepped back from the campaign as pressure over the claim intensified. It followed earlier scrutiny of his record after former partners alleged abusive or threatening behaviour towards them — allegations Platner also rejected, characterising them as politically motivated.
