In the hours following The Washington Post’s publication of the account of a woman who claimed Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of allegedly sexually assaulting her while he was a teen, two key Republican women have remained relatively silent about Kavanaugh’s fate.
Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who have been watched closely as possible no votes on the confirmation of Kavanaugh and have given their support for women’s rights, have both offered muted takes on what’s next following the allegations.
When asked about the accusations — that Kavanaugh and friends allegedly held down a woman, Christine Blasey Ford, and tried to remove her clothes at a party in high school — Collins told CNN Sunday she was “very surprised” and said she would be “talking with my colleagues” about what’s next.
“I’m going to be talking with my colleagues, but I really don’t have anything to add at this point, as I said,” she said. “I did ask — I did read the letter last week and — and asked the judge in a telephone conversation on Friday about it, and he was very emphatic in his denial. … I don’t know enough to make a judgment at this point.”
Murkowski was equally non-committal in her response.
“Well, I think that might be something they might have to consider, at least having that discussion,” Murkowski told CNN Sunday night, but suggested that the allegations “may” be something the committee should look at.
“This is not something that came up during the hearings. The hearings are now over, and if there is real substance to this, it demands a response. That may be something the committee needs to look into,” Murkowski offered.
