Democratic Senate candidate says 'I'm not a secret Nazi' in response to tattoo criticism
Graham Platner denied trying to hide his 'skull and cross' tattoo for the past 18 years
A Democratic Senate candidate in Maine has pledged to cover up a tattoo which was labelled a "Nazi symbol" by a Jewish civil rights group.
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Graham Platner got the inkwork done in 2007 with fellow Marines during an overseas trip to Split, Croatia, which resembles a skull-and-crossbones.
But the tattoo is said to resemble the Totenkopf, or "death’s head" symbol, which was adopted by Hitler’s SS during the Nazi era.
The story came to light after video footage was shared showing Platner dancing in his underwear at his brother's wedding.
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The 41-year-old said he did not know the tattoo's connotations until a few days ago, when one of his staffers showed him the image of the Nazi symbol.
"I am not a secret Nazi," he told the Pod Save America political podcast.
"Actually, if you read through my Reddit comments, I think you can pretty much figure out where I stand on Nazism and antisemitism and racism in general.
"I would say a lifelong opponent.
"We chose a terrifying-looking skull and crossbones off the wall, because we were Marines, and skulls and crossbones are a pretty standard military thing."
"We got those tattoos, and then we all moved on with our lives.
"I can honestly say that if I was trying to hide it. I've not been doing a very good job for the past 18 years."
Platner's former political director, Genevieve McDonald, who resigned from the campaign Friday, posted on social media that Platner's tattoo was antisemitic and he should have had it altered.
"While he may have been unfamiliar with the symbolism when he got the tattoo, he has been aware of its meaning for years," she told The Washington Post.
"He could have had it removed or covered. He chose not to.
"He is not uninformed, and prides himself on his knowledge of military history.
"Everyone who has tattoos knows what they mean."
The US military already has a policy that checks for extremist, racist and sexist tattoos and Platner added that the Nazi connection never came up during security screenings.
A spokesperson for the Anti-Defamation League said: "We do understand that sometimes people get tattoos without understanding their hateful association.
"In those cases, the bearer should be asked whether they repudiate its hateful meaning."