Senator Susan Collins (R) Announcing She Supports the Nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court This Afternoon.

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Rev. Jane Field, Executive Director of Maine Council of Churches Responded to Collins Herein

Senator Susan Collins (R) announced this afternoon that she supports the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh for Justice to the Supreme Court.  In a 45-minute speech, she made it clear she believed every word Kavanaugh said to her without questioning his veracity. She believed him when he lied to her and she never bothered to fact check.  (Facts Matter).  Rather she blamed Democrats, outside organizations, the Ford letter leaker and others in true Trumpian fashion for her decision. It was right out of the Trump playbook.  It leads this blogger to wonder if Collins is too naive for the big leagues,  drinking the same brand of beer as Kavanaugh does, or perhaps is not running again.  Likely someone on McConnell’s staff wrote her speech for her.  Therefore, she’s indifferent to the effect of this vote on Maine women and their friends.  For sure, she’s gullible and the Republicans know it and how to use her for their agenda.

Reactions to her announcement were swift:  “I am profoundly saddened by this decision and deeply concerned for the well-being of our nation.  Given Judge Kavanaugh’s highly partisan and belligrent testimony and his lack of truthfulness under oath, I cannot fathom why Senator Collins feels it is acceptable to vote for his confirmation,” emailed Rev. Jane Field, Presbyterian, Executive Director of the Maine Council of Churches.

“I am profoundly disappointed in Senator Collins as she besmirches her record and legacy by voting for certification of Judge Kavanaugh.  She has pandered to the Senate leadership and President Trump supporting a man who stands against all that she has claimed to represent over the years:  modernization, civility, even-handedness, support for women.  She has bartered her soul for a “mess of pottage,” wrote the Rev. Donald J. Rudalevige, the United Methodist Church, Cape Elizabeth.

An officer of Planned Parenthood emailed the following:  “In the midst of a national dialogue about sexual assault, Senator Collins sided with those who disbelieved, disrespected, and even mocked survivors of sexual assault. No senator who votes to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court can count themselves as a champion of Roe v. Wade and women’s health and rights.  Senator Collins vote for Kavanaugh is a vote against abortion, birth control access and survivors of sexual assault.  With this vote, Supreme Court has undermined the future of access to abortion for millions across the country.  Senator Collins had the opportunity to represent the lived experience of tens of millions of women in this country – to be a voice of independence and to protect our constitutional right.  She chose the opposite.  Women will not forget,” emailed Dawn Loguens, Executive Vice President. Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

Maine Women’s Lobby emailed:  “Like you, we’re gutted.  We stand in solidarity with everyone who has felt the deep pain, anger and sadness of the past week.  We stand beside and believe survivors of sexual violence.  This is a sad and deeply disappointing day for women in Maine and across America.  Let us find strength in one another and in our ability to survive.”

Once a moderate, Collins has officially announced today that she abandoned the moderates in exchange for a bona fide place in the extreme right wing.  The country is sharply divided into enemy camps and she has joined the right extremist camp led by “Donald Trump, Self-Made Sham” – so called on the opinion page of “The New York Times” on October 3, 2018.  Where does this commitment to  Lier Kavanaugh leave Collins – right beside Trump – in the gutter of Maine politics.