Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) is accusing a crowdfunding effort to fund her 2020 opponent if she votes to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court as an attempted to "bribe" her.
"I consider this quid pro quo fundraising to be the equivalent of an attempt to bribe me to vote against Judge Kavanaugh," Collins, one of only two pro-choice Republicans in the Senate, told Newsmax in an exclusive interview on Monday. The other pro-choice Senate Republican is Alaska's Lisa Murkowski.
"If I vote against him, the money is refunded to the donors," she said. "If I vote for him, the money is given to my opponent for the 2020 race."
Collins is referring to the "Be a Hero" campaign, which was launched last month.
It's not a bribe.
Be a Hero's goal is to replace Collins with a Democrat, should the incumbent Republican choose to vote for Kavanaugh, who is seen by many to be a threat to Roe vs. Wade.
Collins said that the Be a Hero effort "will not influence my vote at all, adding that she believes the campaign "demonstrates the new lows to which the judge’s opponents have stooped.
“Kavanaugh is committed to ending healthcare for people with pre-existing conditions. He is committed to overturning Roe v. Wade,” Be A Hero says. “Kavanaugh cannot be nominated – he would mean bankruptcy and danger for millions of families in Maine and America.”
“There are two scenarios” that the website lays out:
Senator Collins votes NO on Kavanaugh and you will not be charged, and no money will go to fund her future opponent.
Senator Collins votes YES on Kavanaugh and your pledge will go to her opponent’s campaign, once that opponent has been identified.
"The people of Maine are asking you to be a hero, Senator Collins," the crowdfunding page states. "Your swing vote could decide whether a rubber stamp for Trump’s anti-healthcare, anti-woman, anti-labor agenda gets confirmed to the Supreme Court–costing millions of Americans their health care, their right to choose, and their lives."
As of Tuesday, donations to the CrowdPac have surpassed $1 million of their $1.3 million goal.
Collins has previously said that if Kavanaugh appeared to be a threat to Roe v. Wade, then she may be compelled to vote no.
Roe v. Wade is a case that was decided in 1973 so it’s 45 years old. It was reaffirmed 26 years ago. If you look at how much a part of our society Roe is you could argue it would be very difficult to overturn," Collins said. She added that if evidence surfaced of Kavanaugh issueing false statements during his 2004 confirmation hearing to the United State Court of Appeals, "that would be a major problem for me."
Collins' legacy is seeing as being largely dependent upon her vote on Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
"I know it’s frustrating to the press, but until I finish my review I’m going to defer my decision-making," Collins told Portland Press Herald reporter Joe Lawlor on Friday.
Still, the extraordinary consequences of confirming Kavanaugh to the nation's highest court are rippling through social media.
Chelsea Handler said the Be a Hero movement is "a way of letting you that if you choose to move this country backward, we will support someone who will push it forward," as opposed to a bribe.
Last week, Collins' office received more than 3,000 coat hangers in protest of her potential 'YES' vote on Kavanaugh.
The messages to Collins were clear.
Careful, Senator, the country is watching.
