WASHINGTON - Today, Senator Susan Collins went on a Maine radio station in which she appears to side with Brett Kavanaugh over Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. NARAL Pro-Choice America President Ilyse Hogue issued the following statement in response: 

“We believe Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. It is both extremely disturbing and a grave insult to women in Maine and across the country that Senator Collins is buying into the Trump tactic of undermining survivors and trying to bully Dr. Blasey Ford. Every shred of evidence points to the fact that Dr. Ford, who has everything to lose and nothing to gain from this vicious process, is telling the truth, and that Brett Kavanaugh has lied over and over again. If it’s truly Senator Collins’ intention to side with Brett Kavanaugh over Dr. Blasey Ford, she will never again be able to claim the mantle of an ally to women or survivors, and that is not something that women will ever forget-- not next week, not next month, and not in 2020 when she’s up for reelection.” 

In the interview, Collins says: 

“Much to my surprise it now appears she’s turning down all 3 options even though her attorney said earlier this week that she would come testify,” 

“I just don’t understand why the hearing shouldn’t go forth.” 

“"It's not fair for Judge Kavanaugh for her not to come forward and testify... I don't think she can reject all those options otherwise there are these very serious allegations hanging over the head of a nominee who has emphatically denied them."

NBC’s Ken Dilanian reports today that a number of former prosecutors and FBI agents have said today that people who make up allegations tend not to demand that the FBI investigate them. Dr. Ford has understandably asked that the FBI investigate the incident before senators hold hearings on the allegations. 

Even before the sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh, Mainers had been screaming from the rooftops that they do not want Kavanaugh on the court and have been asking Susan Collins to listen to them. 

Collins has claimed to be an ally to women and a champion of #MeToo, has publicly condemned sexual assault and sexual violence. Women are now depending on her to stay true to those statements.

Collins’ recent actions include:

• Displaying a willingness to go further than many of her colleagues in condemning Trump’s sexual assault allegations
• Championing legislative effort to decrease instances of sexual assault on college campuses and to provide justice for survivors and perpetrators.Taking a stand against Larry Nassar by introducing a bill to require amateur athletic organizations to report sexual assault immediately.
• Strongly condemning sexual assault incidents as “heinous,” and showing disappointment with the RNC support of Roy Moore, even going as far as to call it a “mistake.”

Dedicating funding in her home state of Maine to combat sexual assault and domestic violence, including:

• $240,000 in funding for Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MECASA) and the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence (MCEDV)
• $300,000 in funding for sexual assault and domestic violence advocacy in immigrant community
• $1.18 million in funding for rural domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking assistance programs
• $1.7 million in funding to support legal services for domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking victims
• $147,891 in funding for Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault