'Dreadful copout': Susan Collins rebuked for 'shameful' defense of Trump nominee

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) stuck her neck out for Jay Clayton, President Donald Trump's nominee to be Director of National Intelligence, when confronted about his refusal to definitively refute Trump's election conspiracy theories.

Clayton, now the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said that President Joe Biden was "certified" as president in 2020, but refused after repeatedly being pressed to say that he "won" the election — leading Democrats to accuse him of toeing the line so as not to upset his boss.

But Collins, speaking to CNN's Manu Raju, denied there was any issue, and scolded Democrats for being bent out of shape.

“[DNI] does not certify elections, and he made very clear over and over again that Joe Biden had been certified as the winner of the election. I'm not sure what my colleagues were seeking further,” said Collins, who is facing a tough re-election battle this November.

This response drew further outrage from commenters on social media.

"Coward," wrote former Biden strategist Chris D. Jackson.

"Shameful," wrote CNN political commentator Karen Finney.

"A dreadful copout," wrote House staffer Aaron Fritschner. "The current DNI and his predecessor have been central to Trump's attempts to undermine past election results and cheat in future elections, leading up to tonight's speech. Susan Collins knows that."

"I’ll take a swing," wrote pollster Adam Carlson. "Your colleagues are seeking for Jay Clayton to say that Trump lost the 2020 election and show a willingness to recognize basic realities — some would say an important attribute for the next Director of National Intelligence to have."

"I'm a Collins fan, but this is bad," wrote former GOP Senate staffer and Society for the Rule of Law executive director Gregg Nunziata. "It's a disgrace that so many powerful people, members of a great political party, need to contort and debase themselves to humor the ravings of an insecure, power-abusing president."

"This gaslighting will not work," wrote political strategist and former Democratic Senate staffer Lauren Henson. "She may think we're all stupid, but we all heard what he said and refused to say it with our own ears. Tired of this fake moderate schtick when she's repeatedly voted for extremists to occupy the highest levels of our government."