<\/p>\n
Members of the<\/span> Democratic Socialists of America circulated a letter calling on candidates and elected officials to refuse to work with the consultants who handled Graham Platner\u2019s campaign, according to screenshots of the letter shared with The Intercept.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe, the undersigned, call on DSA candidates and elected officials to no longer contract or work with Morris Katz or Fight Agency, his political consulting firm,\u201d the letter reads.\u00a0<\/p>\n Katz is not a member of DSA.<\/p>\n The letter also noted consultants at the agency like Rebecca Katz, who is not related to Morris, were also behind the campaign of Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., and said they continued to advise him even after he<\/a> made a hard-right turn<\/a> after entering the Senate<\/a>.<\/p>\n Two sources with knowledge of the letter confirmed its authenticity.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMorris Katz is one of the chief parties responsible for the catastrophic campaign of scandal-ridden Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner,\u201d the letter says. \u201cBilled as a top adviser to the campaign, Katz helped recruit Platner and supercharged his candidacy with slick video production, friendly media placements, and political connections.\u201d<\/p>\n The letter circulated as pundits and observers pinned the failures of Platner\u2019s campaign on Katz and others at Fight Agency, including Rebecca Katz. (A spokesperson for DSA\u2019s national organization said they had not seen the letter. Neither Morris Katz nor Rebecca Katz immediately responded to requests for comment.)<\/p>\n The agency is also currently working with Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed<\/a>, who is not affiliated with DSA. The Democratic socialist group has reportedly shifted resources to Michigan, where DSA is backing congressional candidate Donavan McKinney<\/a>.<\/p>\n In a statement posted to X on Thursday, Katz said<\/a>, \u201cAs soon as the team became aware of the rape allegations against Graham Platner we advised he suspend his candidacy, and in the following days worked to wind down the campaign.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n CNN said<\/a> the Platner campaign first denied the allegation in response to questions after an interview with the accuser, Jenny Racicot, whose allegation was first reported<\/a> by Politico. The DSA members\u2019 letter disputed Katz\u2019s account.<\/p>\n \u201cEven as the scandals mounted, Katz continued to put the full weight of his consultancy behind Platner\u2019s candidacy.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n \u201cAccording to reports, Katz and others on the campaign were aware of at least some of Platner\u2019s disturbing history,\u201d the letter reads. \u201cYet even as the scandals mounted, Katz continued to put the full weight of his consultancy behind Platner\u2019s candidacy, foreclosing the possibility of replacing Platner with another candidate before the primary election. Katz also reportedly threatened a former Platner staffer for helping verify allegations and controversies surrounding the campaign.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The alleged threat, first reported<\/a> by the Bangor Daily News, targeted a Platner campaign staffer who had publicized an earlier sexting scandal<\/a> and later left the campaign over Platner\u2019s controversial Reddit posts.<\/p>\n Some Democrats and progressives have pushed back<\/a> against the criticisms of Katz and Fight Agency, arguing that Democratic consultants who worked with candidates they knew faced credible allegations of sexual misconduct<\/a>, like former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo<\/a> or former Rep. Eric Swalwell<\/a>, D-Calif. \u2014 or even former President Joe Biden \u2014 did not face the same kind of blacklisting.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cDid we go knives out for Eric Swalwell\u2019s consultants?\u201d said one progressive strategist who requested anonymity in order to speak freely.<\/p>\n Some of the moderate Democratic critics<\/a> of Katz\u2019s role in the Platner campaign worked<\/a> for politicians with their own scandal-ridden histories.<\/p>\n \u201cThe political world is chock full of useless consultants. Nobody cares when they fuck up a race.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n \u201cThis is not a problem unique to the left,\u201d the strategist said. \u201cThis comes down to holding candidates accountable, and I think it\u2019s no surprise that the same consultants who have laundered even worse politicians through the Democratic Party are the loudest ones right now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe political world is chock full of useless consultants. Nobody cares when they fuck up a race,\u201d said another progressive strategist. \u201cThe knives are out for Morris and Fight, because they\u2019re actually good at what they do.\u201d<\/p>\nKatz\u2019s Timeline<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
Progressive Defenders<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n