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Collins ‘appalled’ by Trump tweet about Kavanaugh accuser

Maine Senator Susan Collins (R) said Friday she was “appalled” by President Trump’s tweet questioning the legitimacy of Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s accuser. 

According to the Portland Press Herald, Collins stopped short of giving an opinion on the veracity of Christine Blasey Ford’s claims that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a high school party decades ago, even as she criticized Trump’s remarks.

“I was appalled by the president’s tweet,” she said at a speaking event in Portland. 

{mosads}“First of all, we know that allegations of sexual assault — I’m not saying that’s what happened in this case — but we know allegations of sexual assault are one of the most unreported crimes that exist. So I thought that the president’s tweet was completely inappropriate and wrong,” Collins said.

Collins also said that she would be comfortable allowing Ford to testify later in the week and that the Senate Judiciary Committee should make reasonable accommodations to allow her to speak. Republicans on the panel are negotiating with Ford to set up a way for her to speak to the panel.

Trump raised doubts Friday about Ford’s allegations.

Trump said that if she was telling the truth about the assault she or her parents would have filed something to the police at the time of the attack.

Collins said she wanted both Ford and Kavanaugh to testify.

“I do think that both she and Judge Kavanaugh need to testify under oath, but I believe we should attempt to make this as comfortable a process for her as possible,” Collins said. “To me Monday is the preferred date but I don’t see a problem with delaying to Wednesday or Thursday.”

Collins has received “some pretty ugly voicemails” about Kavanaugh recently because of her status as as swing vote in the nomination process.

Tags Donald Trump Susan Collins

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