The confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh now looks all but certain, especially after Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) announced during a lengthy speech on Friday that she would be voting for Trump’s pick, who has been accused of sexual assault by multiple women.
So unless there’s an 11th hour change of heart by either Collins or Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.), Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) or Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)—all once possible swing votes—it appears that Kavanaugh will indeed be the next Supreme Court Justice of the United States.
Collins’ announcement was instantly met with widespread outrage. The Senator’s Wikipedia page was edited to state that she was a “traitor to women” and “a character from the book The Handmaid’s Tale” on Friday afternoon, in reference to “Aunt Lydia,” the cruel overseer of the handmaids.
Likewise, an online fundraising campaign to fund a future opponent for Collins quickly raised $2 million dollars before it crashed.
Given the testimony of Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her at a party in high school, Collins’ decision seems personal for many women and sexual assault survivors.
On top if everything else, an old tweet from Nov. 2017 has now come back to haunt Collins. In the midst of the Al Franken sexual misconduct scandal, Collins tweeted, “Sexual harassment and assault have no place in any workplace. The reports involving Senator Franken are disturbing. His belated apology was certainly warranted.”
Unsurprisingly, people have dug up that old tweet and are now using it point out Collins’ apparent hypocrisy regarding her position on Kavanaugh.
https://twitter.com/louis_5466/status/1048375512962412544
So unsubstantiated claims of touching a woman’s butt are cause to call for the resignation of a US Senator. But perjury, excessive drinking and sexual assault are qualities you accept in a Supreme Court Justice.
— Just Elizabeth Again (@SylnaZhinka) October 6, 2018
You’re nothing but a partisan hack.
https://twitter.com/gameplayer1953/status/1048385708375908358
Not sure what Mitch promised you, but this is mine: I am getting ready to contribute the maximum amounts I can to any person that runs against you. I will also phone bank, write postcards, and anything else I can to ensure you are voted out.
— The #GOP is a cult of Liars (@CherylFVATN) October 6, 2018
Sen. Collins…I am from the future. You don’t mean this. You don’t care about women’s rights. You are just partisan.
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) October 6, 2018
https://twitter.com/JLG1017/status/1048389028691628032
Senator Collins: Why didn’t you believe Al Franken was innocent until proven guilty? Sounds like double standards to stand behind Kavanaugh but not .@alfranken
— Dorri Olds ✍️ (@DorriOlds) October 6, 2018
You are an unbelievable hypocrite.
— Notorious Tinatanium 🆓 (@TinaDesireeBerg) October 6, 2018
It seems highly unlikely, but Collins could potentially still change her mind before the confirmation vote. Even if she doesn’t believe the accusations of Christine Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick, the threat of losing her Senate seat in 2020 might change it for her.