Sen. Susan Collins has said that she will not support a candidate for the Supreme Court who doesn’t support court precedent, specifically Roe v. Wade. These are easy words, but her commitment is doubtful given her vote to confirm another judge last week.

The Senate on July 18 confirmed the nomination of Andrew Oldham to the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals by a vote of 50-to-49, Collins supporting. She could have been the swing vote in that decision.

The U.S. 5th Circuit Court hears cases from Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. That court has a long list of pending cases including voting rights cases and a legal challenge to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

Oldham is a conservative judge from Texas, 39 years old, with a long potential career in the federal court system. Oldham stated in April, during a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing, that he, as a Circuit Court judge, would be subject to the rulings and precedents of the Supreme Court. However, he refused to answer questions regarding specific established Supreme Court decisions. At his confirmation hearing, he refused to affirm the Brown v. Board of Education landmark desegregation case as being correctly decided.

Words count. If a nominee says he supports precedent, then says he can’t affirm the correctness of a court decision, how can one believe where he stands on the huge social and legal issues that have become the basis of our country’s laws? If Sen. Collins truly believes in the importance of the Affordable Care Act, reproductive rights and LGBTQ equality, she cannot vote for Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court unless she can stand up for his positions on these issues.

Sen. Collins should vote “no” on Kavanaugh and protect her legacy of supporting the people of this country.

Judith Kline

South Portland

Copy the Story Link