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Brett Kavanaugh: Susan Collins says she will vote yes to confirm nominee – live updates | |
(35 minutes later) | |
After lengthy remarks in defense of his nomination, Collins confirms she’ll vote along party lines. | |
Collins is 40 minutes into her remarks. | |
She is taking to task whoever leaked Christine Blasey Ford’s letter, but says she does not believe that person is senator Dianne Fienstein, whose office received the letter. | |
Now she is talking about algorithms and how they help people read articles that confirm their biases. | |
“The allegations fail to meet the more-likely-than-not standard,” Collins says. | |
“I do not believe that these charges can fairly prevent judge Kavanaugh from serving on the supreme court.” | |
Collins says every person who makes a claim of sexual assault deserves to be heard. “The MeToo movement is real,” she says, with emphasis. | |
She says since the hearing she has listened to many survivors of sexual assault. | |
Very hard now to understand what it was Collins was undecided about all this time. She has firmly rejected virtually every single potential reason or pretext for voting against Kavanaugh. | |
Collins is addressing Christine Blasey Ford’s accusation of sexual assault against Kavanaugh. | |
She said the “presumption of innocence” and due process weigh on her thinking. | |
“We must always remember that it is when passions are most inflamed that fairness is most in jeopardy,” she says. | |
She says some of the allegations against Kavanaugh “illustrate why the presumption of innocence” is so important, specifically an allegation that Kavanaugh committee gang rape. He denies the allegation. | |
Collins says Ford’s testimony was “sincere, painful and compelling.” | |
And she believes Ford is a victim of sexual assault. | |
But Collins has questions about Ford’s story and the witness testimonies. | |
Now onto Roe v Wade - Collins says it is important to keep in place this pivotal 1973 supreme court ruling to legalize abortion. | |
She explains all the reasons she thinks Kavanaugh is not a threat to Roe v Wade - an interesting argument from a Republican. | |
She says Republicans have been saying their supreme court nominee would end Roe v Wade for decades and it hasn’t happened yet. | |
Susan Collins, paraphrased: The GOP platform is lying about overturning abortion. | |
Meanwhile ... | |
Important rebuttal to what @SenatorCollins is saying now on floor of Senate about Kavanaugh and Roe v. Wade 👇🏼 https://t.co/biknLJbs2y | |
Collins says she has spoken to Kavanaugh privately for several hours. | Collins says she has spoken to Kavanaugh privately for several hours. |
She also said she has met with thousands of her constituents, who she said spoke extensively about fears Kavanaugh would gut the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. She says she’s not worried about that. | She also said she has met with thousands of her constituents, who she said spoke extensively about fears Kavanaugh would gut the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. She says she’s not worried about that. |
She said another concern people have brought her is that Kavanaugh would give protection to a president facing charges because of his previous writings on executive power. | She said another concern people have brought her is that Kavanaugh would give protection to a president facing charges because of his previous writings on executive power. |
Collins hasn’t said how she is voting, but the early guess is she’ll be a yes for Kavanaugh. | Collins hasn’t said how she is voting, but the early guess is she’ll be a yes for Kavanaugh. |
She has yet to address the sexual assault allegations, but it doesn’t sound like she’s ending her remarks anytime soon. | She has yet to address the sexual assault allegations, but it doesn’t sound like she’s ending her remarks anytime soon. |
This sounds like someone who was yes from moment 1. | This sounds like someone who was yes from moment 1. |
Collins has female senators Capito and Hyde-Smith, who support Kavanaugh, sitting behind her for this speech. | Collins has female senators Capito and Hyde-Smith, who support Kavanaugh, sitting behind her for this speech. |
Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, says the confirmation process has become dysfunctional and chaotic instead of the solemn occasion it should be. | Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, says the confirmation process has become dysfunctional and chaotic instead of the solemn occasion it should be. |
She accuses special interest groups of spending “an unprecedented amount of dark money opposing this confirmation.” | She accuses special interest groups of spending “an unprecedented amount of dark money opposing this confirmation.” |
She says the supreme court confirmation process has “been in steady decline for more than 30 years,” but hopes the Kavanaugh nomination is “rock bottom.” | She says the supreme court confirmation process has “been in steady decline for more than 30 years,” but hopes the Kavanaugh nomination is “rock bottom.” |
Collins sent a press alert confirming she would speak at 3:05pm. | Collins sent a press alert confirming she would speak at 3:05pm. |
It’s 3:08pm ... and she should be speaking momentarily. | It’s 3:08pm ... and she should be speaking momentarily. |
Protestors, however, are shouting in the galleries. | Protestors, however, are shouting in the galleries. |
Protesters are shouting from the gallery at the start of Susan Collins’ speech on Senate floor: "Vote no. Show up for Maine women!" | Protesters are shouting from the gallery at the start of Susan Collins’ speech on Senate floor: "Vote no. Show up for Maine women!" |
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders spoke to reporters briefly this afternoon, after the cloture vote. | White House press secretary Sarah Sanders spoke to reporters briefly this afternoon, after the cloture vote. |
Asked if the White House and Senate GOP leaders have the votes to confirm Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, she said: “I sure hope so.” | Asked if the White House and Senate GOP leaders have the votes to confirm Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, she said: “I sure hope so.” |
“I think that we should,” she added. | “I think that we should,” she added. |
“He’s done more than any nominee in history in terms of amount of documents he’s turned over, hours of testimony, interviews. | “He’s done more than any nominee in history in terms of amount of documents he’s turned over, hours of testimony, interviews. |
“Look, the president supports his nominee and wants to see him get confirmed.” | “Look, the president supports his nominee and wants to see him get confirmed.” |
When asked if the White House was worried about Kavanaugh supporters in the Senate changing their minds before the vote, Sanders said: “Honestly, I think a lot of Democrats should change their mind and do the right thing and [confirm] Judge Kavanaugh.” | When asked if the White House was worried about Kavanaugh supporters in the Senate changing their minds before the vote, Sanders said: “Honestly, I think a lot of Democrats should change their mind and do the right thing and [confirm] Judge Kavanaugh.” |
White House officials hope the Senate votes on Saturday, Sanders said. | White House officials hope the Senate votes on Saturday, Sanders said. |
With the vote to confirm Kavanaugh looking so close, one senator’s daughter’s wedding has gained unusual prominence. | With the vote to confirm Kavanaugh looking so close, one senator’s daughter’s wedding has gained unusual prominence. |
Senator Steve Daines, a Republican from Montana, plans to attend his daughter’s wedding in his home state on Saturday – the expected voting day. | Senator Steve Daines, a Republican from Montana, plans to attend his daughter’s wedding in his home state on Saturday – the expected voting day. |
The Senate is divided 51-49 Republican to Democrat. If all Democrats vote no (not a certainty) and one Republican defects, there will be a tie decided by vice-president Mike Pence. | The Senate is divided 51-49 Republican to Democrat. If all Democrats vote no (not a certainty) and one Republican defects, there will be a tie decided by vice-president Mike Pence. |
That slim margin also means there is not room for a Republican senator not to show up – even if it’s his daughter’s wedding. | That slim margin also means there is not room for a Republican senator not to show up – even if it’s his daughter’s wedding. |
Another complicating factor? There’s no direct commercial flights out of Montana to DC on Saturday, and with layovers the journey could take more than seven hours – not an ideal travel time for someone looking to attend a wedding and a historic Senate vote. | Another complicating factor? There’s no direct commercial flights out of Montana to DC on Saturday, and with layovers the journey could take more than seven hours – not an ideal travel time for someone looking to attend a wedding and a historic Senate vote. |
Daines, however, said Friday afternoon he’d sorted it out. | Daines, however, said Friday afternoon he’d sorted it out. |
APNewsBreak: U.S. Sen. Steve Daines says he'll return to Washington D.C. via 'good friend' Greg Gianforte's private jet on his daughter's wedding day if Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation to the Supreme Court comes down to the Montana Republican's vote | APNewsBreak: U.S. Sen. Steve Daines says he'll return to Washington D.C. via 'good friend' Greg Gianforte's private jet on his daughter's wedding day if Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation to the Supreme Court comes down to the Montana Republican's vote |
Gianforte is the congressman who assaulted Guardian journalist Ben Jacobs. | Gianforte is the congressman who assaulted Guardian journalist Ben Jacobs. |