Sen. Susan Collins – Douche Bag of the Day

Senator Collins (R-Maine) is the recipient of today’s Douche Bag of the day award. You might think it is because of her vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court, and she probably does deserve it for that alone, but I think this might be more “deplorable” and is a classic Republican move.

Always remember, that if a Republican is pointing a finger at someone else and claiming they are doing something wrong, it is likely because they are doing it themselves, and want to distract you. Here’s a little background. A group decided to do some “negative” fund-raising and held a go-fund-me campaign to raise about $3M to contribute any candidate running against her in her 2020 re-election campaign.

Well, Collins goes on 60 Minutes calling it a quid-pro-quo attempt at a bribe. She stated, in part, “I think that if our politics has come to the point where people are trying to buy votes and buy positions, then we are in a very sad place. They are asking me to perform an official act and if I do not do what they want, [money] is going to go to my opponent.”

First, that’s not a quid-pro-quo bribe to her. She doesn’t get anything if she votes against Kavanaugh. That would be a bribe. This is a campaign contribution to a future candidate and is given to that future candidate without expectation or condition. But, of course, it sounded too good to try to make this group out to be criminals intent on bribing politicians.

Of course, politicians play the “drama-queen” card all the time, so that wouldn’t win one Douche Bag of the Day. No, you’ve gotta do something to really distinguish yourself to earn our prestigious award. And Collins managed to pull it off. As TPM reports, Kavanaugh and Collins, respectively, complained prior to Kavanaugh’s confirmation about “millions of dollars in money from outside left-wing opposition groups” and “an unprecedented amount of dark money opposing [Kavnaugh’s] nomination.”¹

Now she’s turned around and got a quid-pro-quo exactly for voting to confirm Kavanaugh. Judicial Crisis Network, the “dark money” group that spent millions promoting Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation effort, announced a new “six-figure TV and digital ad campaign” Tuesday in support of Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who voted for Kavanaugh’s confirmation.²

Carrie Severino, the group’s chief counsel, and policy director said in a press release accompanying the news.

“Thank you Susan Collins for thoughtfully reviewing Judge Kavanaugh’s judicial record and weighing the evidence, and for being a reasonable voice during this incredibly divisive time.  You put Maine and our country first – thank you.”

So, as I said, if you see a Republican pointing a finger at someone claiming they’re doing something illegal, just know that Republican is doing the very thing they are accusing the other person or group of doing.

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1. “Dark Money Group Says ‘Thank You’ To Collins With ‘Six-Figure’ Ad Campaign,” TPM, Matt Shuham, Oct. 9, 2018.
2. Ibid