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workinclasszero

(28,270 posts)
Tue Sep 11, 2018, 02:00 PM Sep 2018

Collins calls crowdfunding to get her to oppose Kavanaugh a 'bribe'

BY EMILY BIRNBAUM - 09/11/18 10:46 AM EDT

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) says she is not swayed by crowdfunding aimed at encouraging her to oppose Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, comparing the effort to a "bribe."

"I consider this quid pro quo fundraising to be the equivalent of an attempt to bribe me to vote against Judge Kavanaugh," Collins told conservative news outlet Newsmax.

Two groups of Maine progressives have pledged to donate up to $1.3 million to Collins's next opponent if the Maine senator votes to confirm Kavanaugh, Newsmax reported. Collins is not up for reelection until 2020.

Donors have been asked to pledge money against Collins, but their credit cards will only be charged if she votes "yes" on Kavanaugh.

"This effort will not influence my vote at all,” she added. “I think it demonstrates the new lows to which the judge’s opponents have stooped.”


http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/406041-collins-calls-crowdfunding-to-get-her-to-oppose-kavanaugh-a-bribe
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RockRaven

(14,972 posts)
1. Accusing people who promise to fund an opponent's campaign b/c you confirmed a perjurer to SCOTUS
Tue Sep 11, 2018, 02:08 PM
Sep 2018

indicates to me that you can't tell the difference between political speech and bribery. Which makes me suspicious you have accepted bribes -- if your confusion has led you to make false positives, I'm gonna assume your confusion also allowed false negatives.

JaneQPublic

(7,113 posts)
6. Not a bribe... it's blackmail,
Tue Sep 11, 2018, 02:16 PM
Sep 2018

And it's no different that what big-money donors do without a whimper from her.

ProfessorGAC

(65,061 posts)
8. Blackmail Seems Too Strong, Jane
Tue Sep 11, 2018, 02:39 PM
Sep 2018

People fund opponents of politicians all the time. The fact that one group is making a hinge point of funding an opponent if she votes in an inappropriate way, isn't blackmailing her.

Is it a threat against her cushy, run essentially unopposed gig? Sure.

But, it's not extortion. It's just a warning.

I do agree that big money donors do this all the time, but usually that actually is a bribe, because they providing campaign funds directly to the person, in exchange for favorable legislation. That's a bribe.

This isn't and i don't think the consequence rise to blackmail. The possibility she would still win exists, so they're not threatening her job. They are, however, weakening the easy path to it.

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