U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) steadfastly defends her belief that she votes in a bipartisan manner, which at times she does.
But she also has disappointed Democrats on key issues, and appears about to again, one-hundred percent.
On the president’s nomination of to replace retiring Supreme Court justice Anthony Kennedy, Collins insists that President Trump has told her he will not ask any potential nominee how they would vote on Roe v. Wade, the precedent-setting case that ensures a woman’s right to choose an abortion.
But what everyone knows, and what Trump has admitted – actually, bragged about – is he will choose his nominee from a current list of 25 judges vetted by the Federalist Society. The Federalist Society is a far right group whose members included the late Antonin Scalia, and the entire current conservative wing of the Supreme Court: John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch.
Every judge on the Federalist Society’s list has been vetted to ensure they would overturn Roe v. Wade. Asking them if they would would be about as necessary as buying a new car and asking if it goes in reverse. Overturning Roe is mandatory to be on the list. No need for Trump to ask.
So, back to Senator Collins.
“You’re going to get a lot of pressure from groups and individuals who support abortion rights,” CNN’s Jake Tapper warned Collins Sunday morning, asm Raw Story reported.
Tapper added that “one of the things that they think about you is that you get played by these judges and that ultimately, if you vote to support whoever President Trump nominates presuming the person comes from the list of 25, that one of your longest lasting legacy is likely going to be you vote to confirm a justice that ultimately tipped the balance of political power on court and voted to overturn [Roe v. Wade].”
Here she is proving that she will get played again – because she already was, by Trump himself, this week:
“The president told me in our meeting that he would not ask” a nominee if they would vote to overturn Roe, Collins told Tapper.
She goes on to state that “what he said as a candidate” might be different than “the legal advice” he’s received since – as if Trump has a strong record of following his attorneys’ advice.
But it doesn’t matter if Trump asks the question or not. If they are on the list, they will vote to remove the right to choose an abortion.