Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) is stirring headlines just months after announcing he and his wife had separated.

According to the New York Post, the Senate Democrat was spotted "cuddling" with a far-left media publisher at a well-known Washington D.C. watering hole. 

The senator was reportedly on a date with Courier Newsroom publisher Tara McGowan, 39 last week. The two went on a date to the Red Hen, "located just one mile north of Capitol Hill in the district’s Bloomingdale neighborhood," the outlet reported.

Photos of the romantic date and subsequent public display of affection quickly hit social media and went viral.

What happened?

According to sources who described the so-called date, the two were getting "cutesy" with one another while pursuing the menu.

The New York Post noted:

A self-described “childless woman voter,” McGowan has used her personal platform and position for years at the digital outlet to promote Murphy, retweeting his TV appearances and touting his “pro-democracy” stances and policy priorities on gun control, immigration and foreign relations.

McGowan has touted Murphy's policies and anti-Trump rhetoric in the past, long before the two were out on a date, and just months after her divorce.

"Beyond original newsletters, podcasts + social video series, COURIER’s new national vertical will publish video opinion pieces from prominent pro-democracy leaders fighting for our rights and freedoms, like this call from U.S. Senator @ChrisMurphyCT to ban assault weapons in [America]," she wrote in November of 2023.

An X post by the Courier in February 2024 read, "Republicans wanted — demanded — border legislation. Democrats, led by @ChrisMurphyCT, negotiated a bipartisan deal."

The frequency in which the Courier and McGowan reposted Murphy's content has increased drastically in recent months.

"Dark money" accusations

Courier has been touted as a possible dark money liberal outlet by its critics.

The Post noted:

Critics of Courier — which was founded in 2019, is backed by Acronym and has since been acquired by McGowan’s latest venture, Good Information, Inc. — have charged that it’s a liberal dark money outfit “masquerading as a news outlet,” though the FEC unanimously dismissed a complaint claiming that.

A former employee of the outlet recently revealed that its main goal "was to get persuadable voters engaged with unassuming content."

George Soros and Reid Hoffman helped found the outlet, so that speaks volumes.