Maine echo letter - Senator Collins did not vote with facts

MaineWriter prologue: Senator Susan Collins was wrong to vote in support of appointing Justice Brett Kavanaugh to a life time position on the US Supreme Court, but her irrational criticism of the victim Christine Blasey Ford is truly mystifying and, frankly, indefensible. 

Senator Collins voted wrongly in support of the Brett Kavanaugh nomination to the Supreme Court, because she felt strongly about her erroneous position, but her criticism of Christine Blasey Ford was indefensible

An Maine opinion echo was published in The Ellsworth American.

From Pam Person in Orland Maine

Dear Editor: Sen. Collins’ stated on television on Sunday, Oct. 7, that “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.” The reason she only “believes” and “does not know” and is “not certain” what actually happened in the 1980s in Montgomery County, Md., to Professor Blasey-Ford was that the FBI was not allowed to pursue the 20 people Professor Blasey-Ford gave to the FBI or her polygraph test or her counselor’s notes or the other women who had come forward with their sworn accusations against Judge Kavanaugh.

The FBI was reportedly only allowed by the White House and Senate Republican leadership to interview five people and within the shortest time period. The results of the interviews were only able to be seen by senators in a secure room.

I understand that elections have consequences and that conservative justices would be nominated by President Trump. I did not send any comments to Sen. Collins about the nomination of Neil Gorsuch. With the Kavanaugh nomination, however, I did send in two comments to Sen. Collins’ website. The first, after the initial Judiciary Committee hearings on the Kavanaugh nomination, I asked that she vote “no” due to his ultra-conservative anti-environmental, anti –woman, anti-labor, anti-regulation record on the Circuit Court. My second comment, posted after I watched in shock and dismay both the Blasey-Ford testimony as well as the Kavanaugh reply, was to ask Sen. Collins to ask for a full investigation by the FBI of the charges brought by Professor Blasey-Ford so that correct conclusions could be drawn. It was also to ask that Sen. Collins vote against Judge Kavanaugh for his lack of judicial temperament, blatant partisanship and potential problem with alcohol then or now in his testimony replying to Professor Blasey-Ford before the Judiciary Committee and answers to the committee.

Why were the following late developments simply swept under the rug?

• The American Bar Association decision at the end of last week to reopen the Kavanaugh investigation as to his suitability for the Supreme Court.
• The letter from 2,400 law professors opposing Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation.
• Withdrawal of support from former Justice John Paul Stevens.
• Statements from Kavanaugh’s former Yale roommate at Yale concerning his drinking patterns.

Why did the vote have to take place so quickly before investigations could be thoroughly completed and reconsiderations could be thoughtfully considered?

Why are the Republican President and Republican senators not being condemned for making nasty, demeaning statements against sexual assault survivors? Why are the horrible memories of survivors being questioned? Why are the many survivors who gathered in tears and shouts to ask for representation being called by the President “an angry left-wing mob”?

The 14 members of my church, both women and men, who stood together as sexual violence survivors yesterday, most over 60 years old, many sharing their pain for the first time, are not “mistaken.” They are to be believed and supported. I am grateful to not be a sexual assault survivor.

Please vote to restore balance, fairness and civility to our country by voting for Democrats.

Pam Person, Orland