Planned Parenthood turned on their former ally Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) Friday after she announced that she will be voting to confirm President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh despite the eleventh hour sexual misconduct allegations against him.
The nation’s largest abortion provider declared that Collins can “no longer call herself a women’s rights champion” due to her decision.
Planned Parenthood’s “youth squad” even declared that the vote announcement was a “betrayal of people everywhere.”
In her speech, Collins concluded that since Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, the woman accusing Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct, had named four witnesses who could not corroborate her account she did not think Ford's claims met a "more likely than not" standard.
This isn’t just another vote. @SenatorCollins has made it clear that she can no longer call herself a women’s rights champion. She has sided with those who disbelieved, disrespected, and even mocked survivors.
— Planned Parenthood Action (@PPact) October 5, 2018
We deserve better. Women won't forget. pic.twitter.com/YZw2Ocd463
In the midst of a national dialogue about sexual assault, Sen. Collins sided with those who disbelieved, disrespected and even mocked survivors of sexual assault. Collins’ vote for Kavanaugh is a vote against abortion, birth control access, and survivors of sexual assault.
— Dawn Laguens (@dawnlaguens) October 5, 2018
this is a betrayal of women.
— Planned Parenthood Generation Action (@PPGenAction) October 5, 2018
of survivors.
of the disabled community, of people of color, of the lgbtq+ community, of people with low incomes, of the immigrant community...
this is a betrayal of people everywhere.
Planned Parenthood has heavily praised Sen. Collins in the past due to her status as a self-declared “pro-choice” Republican, particularly when she voted against the skinny repeal of Obamacare in July 2017. In her explanation of her vote, Collins specifically cited the need to protect Planned Parenthood funding.
Thank you, @SenatorCollins, for staying strong to protect our health care. #VoteNo #StandWithPP https://t.co/Tq7sSnV8fy
— Planned Parenthood Action (@PPact) July 24, 2017
Listen to @SenatorCollins. She's listening to her constituents. #StandWithPP #ProtectOurCare https://t.co/WAzM7vhfCw
— Planned Parenthood Action (@PPact) May 8, 2017
Every year, 10,000 Mainers come to Planned Parenthood for health care. Without Planned Parenthood, many of these patients would have nowhere else to go.
— Planned Parenthood Action (@PPact) November 14, 2017
We're proud to recognize @SenatorCollins for her fierce commitment to women's health.#IStandWithPP pic.twitter.com/XGM2g6pBRd
Shoutout to @SenatorCollins & @SenatorKirk, #GOP senators who are supporting women's health! http://t.co/k1pBCWF1vm pic.twitter.com/gfkZrk49VK
— Planned Parenthood Action (@PPact) May 18, 2015
Despite the abortion groups' current strong language against her, Collins was even careful during her announcement of her vote on Kavanaugh to emphasize that she did not believe he would overturn Roe v. Wade as abortion groups fear. She cited her own conversations with Judge Kavanaugh on the topic.
“He noted repeatedly that Roe had been upheld by Planned Parenthood v. Casey, describing it as ‘precedent on precedent,’” she said. “When I asked him would it be sufficient to overturn a long-established precedent if five current justices believed it was wrongly decided, he emphatically said ‘no.’”
However, Planned Parenthood is pushing for Supreme Court nominees to affirm Roe v. Wade rather than simply regarding it as settled precedent as nominees have done in the past.
They also threatened Thursday to come after the senators who voted to confirm Kavanaugh.