Susan Collins Says She Believes Blasey Ford Was Assaulted-- But Not by Kavanaugh

[KelleyKramer]

Fair warning -- before reading get your barf bag ready and put away any loose breakable items ...



Susan Collins Says She Believes Blasey Ford Was Assaulted—But Not by Kavanaugh


https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/10/susan-collins-brett-kavanaugh-assault-ford/


?w=990


Appearing on CNN this morning Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said that she believes that Christine Blasey Ford was sexually assaulted—just not by Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

“I do not believe that Brett Kavanaugh was her assailant. I do believe that she was assaulted. I don’t know by whom, and I’m not certain when, but I do not believe he was the assailant,” Collins told Dana Bash on State of the Union. The Maine senator came on the program to explain why she had voted to confirm Kavanaugh in spite of Ford’s allegation that he had sexually assaulted her when they he was a teenager.


The senator said that while she found Ford’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee “compelling,” she does not think Ford accurately recalls what happened to her. “I found Dr. Ford’s testimony to be heart-wrenching, painful, compelling, and I believe that she believes what she testified to. But we also had a case where Judge Kavanaugh came forward and said, ‘I’m 100 percent certain that this did not happen,’ so here you have two people who are each 100 percent certain of what they’re saying under pain of perjury.”

The notion that Ford misremembers what exactly happened to her 37 years ago—including who attacked her and where and when it occurred—has become a popular talking point among Kavanaugh’s conservative backers. The theory took hold following a series of tweets (since deleted) by Ed Whelan, the president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, in which he spun out a scenario in which Ford was assaulted by a boy who resembled Kavanaugh. In response, Ford said, “There is zero chance that I would confuse them.”

Defending herself against accusations that she had “betrayed women” by voting for Kavanaugh, Collins told CNN, “I have never disregarded, disrespected, or mocked survivors. That is just plain untrue.” She said that she had spoken with many survivors, including her own friends. “I have learned how pervasive this terrible problem is in our society. And clearly we need to step up and do something about it. And every survivor deserves to be heard and respected.” But not necessarily believed.


.

[dchill]

1. It's not a good idea to consider ANYTHING Susan Collins says.

[empedocles]

2. Heard more than enough from Collins.

[Phoenix61]

3. Such an embarrassing excuse of a woman.

I'm glad she was never sexually assaulted. If she had been she would realize how insulting her statements are to any woman who has been sexually assaulted.

[leftstreet]

4. Does she think it was the guy who killed OJ's wife?

She is such a fucking tool - they must have massive dirt on her and her lobbyi$t husband

[Charmin One]

5. that's the official GOP line

She's marching in lockstep with the party.

[John Fante]

6. Trying to play both side to make it seem like she has empathy. Not buying.

What she really meant to say is, "I believe Mrs. Ford was assaulted, and it was most likely by Brett Kavenaugh, but I'm a 'party over morals' kinda gal. So put me down for 'yes'."

[sfwriter]

7. She has a dark fucking pretzel for a brain I think.

I wonder how Republican women put up with this shit. They must have seen a nasty side in their men this week.

[hopeforchange2008]

8. That is some twisted logic. She's way past her sell-by date.

She’s an ignorant embarrassment to the state of Maine.

[R B Garr]

9. This is why the focus should have been on his lies

under oath. Older partisan lies and recent lies. Showing him to be the proven liar he demonstrated would have put Ford’s testimony in the proper context of him being a liar.

Note that the GOP Senators knew he was a liar and spared him having to answer the “prosecutors” questions at Ford’s testimony. Instead Susan Collins got it both ways—pretending they believe she was assaulted but claiming she’s “mixed up”. That is a complete fabrication on its own. Where did they get that?? It is still amazing what they got away with.

[Grammy23]

10. How about the FACT that at his job interview before the committee

He completely blew it by being angry, belligerent and rude to the committee members who were Democrats?? How about his becoming so emotional that he cried, was not able to maintain his composure to the point he had snot dripping from his nose and sniffed and snorted throughout his interview?? How about addressing Senator Klobuchar in a sarcastic and denigrating way by turning a question she asked him into one he demanded that she answer??

He proved his unfitness as a Supreme Court Judge in that portion of his interview alone. Never mind the lies he spoke then and at other times. Even without Dr. Blasey-Ford’s presentation, even if she never came forward at all, he showed how unfit he is as a judge — a judge for the highest court in our system. That behavior at his time to be questioned by the panel was a game changer and proved beyond doubt he should not be selected as a judge and anyone else who acted like that would have been disqualified immediately. Game over. That Kavanaugh fella must be some kind special person. That HAD to be it, right??

[Autumn]

11. She and Munchin both said that.