Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) insists Brett Kavanaugh never lied to her about Roe v. Wade, and an ex-GOP strategist thinks he knows why.
Former Republican strategist Steve Schmidt seized on the exchange in a Wednesday episode of "The Warning," a day after Collins faced Democratic challenger Troy Jackson in a debate. The moderator asked Collins whether Kavanaugh, who called Roe "settled law" before his confirmation vote, had lied to her.
"I do not feel that he lied, but I think that he should not have said it was settled law because to me that meant that it would not be overturned," Collins answered. "But to be fair, you cannot ask a nominee how he might vote on some hypothetical future case."
Schmidt said that was the rare moment Collins told the truth.
"And that, for once, from the hand-wringing, letter-writing Susan Collins, is the truth," Schmidt said. "Because she was in on the lie."
He argued Collins and Kavanaugh "had the same fundamental position" and that the senator's "entire public legacy" now rests on ending a right American women would still have if she had lost a race in time.
Schmidt contrasted Collins with Margaret Chase Smith, the Maine Republican senator remembered for standing on principle during a dangerous era. Collins, he said, is the "complete opposite."
"She's a kneeling MAGA sycophant who appeased a fascist for power, who sold out her people, her state, her country, and betrayed her oath, and is addicted to her Senate seat like a junkie in the street," Schmidt said.
He also mocked Collins for touting her success in getting "concrete, pulp, and road salt removed from the tariff list," summing up her pitch as "let them eat rock salt." Jackson made the same point onstage, telling voters, "We can't eat road salt."
Jackson also compared Collins to "an arsonist who helped set the fire, and then she wants credit for bringing a cup of water to put it out," noting she votes with President Donald Trump 96 percent of the time.
"It doesn't matter if she stands with him in public," Schmidt said. "She stands with him in the back room, and everybody knows it."
He added, "Mainers, vote her out."