Both U.S. senators from Maine condemned remarks made Tuesday night by President Donald Trump that mocked Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of trying to sexually assault her 36 years ago.
Speaking to supporters at a rally in Mississippi, Trump questioned Ford’s allegations that only days before he called credible.
“How did you get home?” Trump said. “I don’t remember. How’d you get there? I don’t remember. Where is the place? I don’t remember. How many years ago was it? I don’t know.”
Many in the crowd cheered.
Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican and key vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation, was asked about the remarks Wednesday morning. According to a video clip posted online by CNN, Collins was asked, “Are you comfortable with the president’s attacks on Christine Blasey Ford?”
Collins, who was walking into a committee room, stopped briefly to answer.
“The president’s comments were just plain wrong,” Collins said.
She did not respond to the follow-up question, “Is it going to affect your vote?”
Sen. Angus King, an independent who has said he will not vote to confirm Kavanaugh, said in an interview with CNN on Wednesday that Trump’s remarks made him “feel sort of sick.”
“To turn her testimony into a political rally punchline. … I think ‘appalling’ is an appropriate term,” King said.
After Collins entered the committee room, the corridors outside her office were cleared by Capitol Police, and media were being kept away, apparently because of security concerns, according to CNN reporter Manu Raju. He retweeted a photo of the vacant hallway that was sent out by CBS News reporter Alan He.
“Capitol Police threatening to boot us from the area because of unfounded concerns about us being a threat to her safety,” Raju tweeted. “Protesters are here, too.”
Collins said last month she and her staff had been subjected to hostile, vulgar and obscene comments from constituents during the intense campaign to influence her vote on Kavanaugh, including at least one threat against a staff member that would be turned over to police.
Collins’ office did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday about the police blocking access to corridors outside her office.
Kavanaugh’s confirmation vote could happen as early as this week, depending on the results of an FBI investigation into Ford’s claims, and other allegations. But many Republicans, Trump included, have steadfastly stood by Kavanaugh and continue to question and discredit his accusers.
Although House members do not vote on Kavanaugh, Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree from Maine’s 1st Congressional District also weighed in to condemn the president’s statements on Twitter.
“The President has mocked people with disabilities, Gold Star families, women, immigrants, minorities and now Dr. Ford who bravely shared her story of sexual assault in front of the world,” Pingree tweeted. “His behavior is appalling & unbecoming of a leader.”
Sen. Collins is the Republican in the toughest political spot. A no on Kavanaugh could mean she can’t win a primary, a yes could mean a credible general election opponent in 2020. She says she’ll decide if she wants to run again next year
— Burgess Everett (@burgessev) October 3, 2018
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is escorted Wednesday by Capitol Police while facing media asking about embattled Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh on Capitol Hill in Washington. Collins was arriving to chair the Senate Special Committee on Aging. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
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