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Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) (L) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) share an elevator as they head for the weekly Senate Republican policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol October 02, 2018 in Washington, DC. Senate GOP leaders agreed last week with the Judiciary Committee to allow the FBI to conduct a one-week investigation into sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh before the Senate votes on his confirmation. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The "Fix Is In, Folks": Though She Admits Not Fully Reading It, Susan Collins Describes FBI Probe as "Very Thorough"
"I'd love [the senator] to explain how a 'very thorough investigation' didn't find time to interview the accuser, the accused, or dozens of corroborating witnesses."
Oct 04, 2018
Despite admitting to CNN she still has not read the full report, Sen. Susan Collins--the Republican from Maine who remains a potentially crucial swing vote in the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh--emerged from a briefing on Thursday morning and said a report by the FBI on the allegations against the nominee appeared to her the result of a "very thorough investigation."
Collins' comments were met with immediate incredulity, especially as the scope of the probe has now been established as objectively limited in scope given that neither Dr. Christine Blasey Ford nor Kavanaugh himself were interviewed by agents.
Josh Marshall, editor and publisher of Talking Points Memo, said Collins' reaction only confirms what many believed was true from that start: that the FBI probe--constrained from the start by Republicans in the Senate and the White House--was nothing but an orchestrated "whitewash" to give fence-sitting lawmakers the cover they needed to ultimately vote "yes" on Kavanaugh.
"Fix is in, folks," Marshall tweeted in response to her comments. "Fix is in."
Of those who understand the underlying reality of her entire political career--one in which she only takes a principled stance against her party when its clear the Republicans can afford to lose her vote--few were surprised by Collins' indication that she is moving towards a vote to confirm.
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Despite admitting to CNN she still has not read the full report, Sen. Susan Collins--the Republican from Maine who remains a potentially crucial swing vote in the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh--emerged from a briefing on Thursday morning and said a report by the FBI on the allegations against the nominee appeared to her the result of a "very thorough investigation."
Collins' comments were met with immediate incredulity, especially as the scope of the probe has now been established as objectively limited in scope given that neither Dr. Christine Blasey Ford nor Kavanaugh himself were interviewed by agents.
Josh Marshall, editor and publisher of Talking Points Memo, said Collins' reaction only confirms what many believed was true from that start: that the FBI probe--constrained from the start by Republicans in the Senate and the White House--was nothing but an orchestrated "whitewash" to give fence-sitting lawmakers the cover they needed to ultimately vote "yes" on Kavanaugh.
"Fix is in, folks," Marshall tweeted in response to her comments. "Fix is in."
Of those who understand the underlying reality of her entire political career--one in which she only takes a principled stance against her party when its clear the Republicans can afford to lose her vote--few were surprised by Collins' indication that she is moving towards a vote to confirm.
Despite admitting to CNN she still has not read the full report, Sen. Susan Collins--the Republican from Maine who remains a potentially crucial swing vote in the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh--emerged from a briefing on Thursday morning and said a report by the FBI on the allegations against the nominee appeared to her the result of a "very thorough investigation."
Collins' comments were met with immediate incredulity, especially as the scope of the probe has now been established as objectively limited in scope given that neither Dr. Christine Blasey Ford nor Kavanaugh himself were interviewed by agents.
Josh Marshall, editor and publisher of Talking Points Memo, said Collins' reaction only confirms what many believed was true from that start: that the FBI probe--constrained from the start by Republicans in the Senate and the White House--was nothing but an orchestrated "whitewash" to give fence-sitting lawmakers the cover they needed to ultimately vote "yes" on Kavanaugh.
"Fix is in, folks," Marshall tweeted in response to her comments. "Fix is in."
Of those who understand the underlying reality of her entire political career--one in which she only takes a principled stance against her party when its clear the Republicans can afford to lose her vote--few were surprised by Collins' indication that she is moving towards a vote to confirm.
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