Late last week protesters in southern Maine rallied against the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court of the United States. The first rally on Friday, March 31st was held in front of Senator Susan Collins office in downtown Portland. The second rally was on Saturday, July 1st in Brunswick at the Mall, despite a spring snow storm that dumped multiple inches in the area.
The rallies were part of the growing political movement that helped defeat the Republicans health care proposal – Trumpcare.
“King is on the fence. What is there to be on the fence about?” asked April Humphreys, of Mainers for Accountable Leadership who organized both events. Ms. Humphreys was referring to Senator Angus King’s (I) failure to take a position on the nomination so far – and with the vote expected to take place on Friday, is an alarming situation for Mainers.
Before the wealthy King was Governor of Maine, he was a host for a talk show on Maine Public Television. perhaps explaining in part his affinity for the television camera rather than for his personal values.
The “missing” Senator Susan Collins (R) has already announced that she will support Gorsuch’s nomination – that despite his dismal record on women’s rights, “bad money” and his support of corporations over individual rights and the on-going investigation into Russian ties to the Trump administration.
“The integrity of the Supreme Court is seriously under threat, if the Senators approve Gorsuch before the Russian investigation is completed,” said Theresa Harrigan…..”Republicans held up Obama’s nominee to fill this very vacancy for ten months because they said Obama was a lame duck president. Certainly being under federal investigation for possibly impeachable offenses and teaming up with a foreign adversary to get elected is a more serious and significant condition than being at the end of one’s term after having been legitimately elected twice,” said Marie Foyllattar Smith of MFAL. “The reputation of our nation’s highest court will have a cloud hanging over it if Collins and King allow this confirmation to go though.”
Ninety-six Maine attorneys opposed to the confirmation of Gorsuch signed a letter organized by the MFAL concerned about Gorsuch’s extreme conservative views and about the wisdom of confirming a life-time appointment to the Supreme Court when President Trump is under federal investigation.
“Over $10 million has been spent for corporate-backed interests to secure Gorsuch’s seat,” said Dini Merz. an MFAL leader. “Regular Mainers have to work hard just to be heard against this voice of big money. This letter, from experienced professionals, reflects a broader concern Mainers have about this appointment.”
Despite frequent requests for Senator Colllins (R) to meet with her constituents in a town hall forum in Portland, she has refused to do so. Mainers would like to hear her justitifcation for championing Attorney General Jeff Sessions who lied to Senator Al Franken during his confirmation hearing and was forced to recuse himself from an investigation on Russia’s connections to the Trump administration. Furthermore, it’s hard to understand why the Senator is supporting Gorsuch as well since he has not supported so many of the values that Maine people do support.
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