What Mainers are Watching and Reading: “Abortion Rights Advocates Criticize Collins on Anniversary of Vote to Confirm Kavanaugh” [Maine Public]

Augusta, Maine - In case you missed it, Mainers called out Susan Collins on the anniversary of her vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh, highlighting how "Collins bears responsibility for the court's subsequent decision to overturn Roe v. Wade."

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WVII, ABC 7:

Transcript:

• Anchor: Today is the anniversary of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation. Maine Democrats, Planned Parenthood, and others used the anniversary to speak out against Senator Susan Collins, who voted in favor of him. They say her vote led to Kavanaugh's confirmation, which led to the court to overturn Dobbs, and that overturned Roe v. Wade.

• Maine Democratic Party Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson: Now, the threat of restrictions on women's ability to make their own health care decisions still looms in Maine as states across the country continue to ban abortion and DC politicians try to limit and restrict the use of abortion medication nationwide. Collins' ongoing threat to women's reproductive freedom extends far beyond her vote to just confirm Brett Kavanaugh.

Bangor Daily News, Maine Politics Insider
October 7, 2025

Maine Public: Abortion rights advocates criticize Collins on anniversary of vote to confirm Kavanaugh
By Patty Wight
October 6, 2025

• Planned Parenthood and the Democratic party in Maine are using the anniversary of Supreme Court Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation vote to go after Republican Senator Susan Collins.

• They say Collins bears responsibility for the court's subsequent decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

• In a virtual press conference, Sarah Mahoney of Arrowsic said that she had a legal, safe abortion in the 1980s, but many women in the U.S. no longer have access.

• "I'm lucky enough to have daughters," Mahoney said. "I'm lucky enough to have granddaughters. And they have fewer rights than I did 40 years ago."

• Lisa Margulies of Planned Parenthood said the ruling to overturn Roe has fueled further attempts by anti-abortion politicians to limit access.

• "And now they're using every pathway at their disposal, including hamstringing providers financially, to try to ban it in the rest of the country," Margulies said.

• A new federal law that cuts Medicaid funding to reproductive health providers who also offer abortions has prompted Maine Family Planning to end primary care services.

• Planned Parenthood in Maine is losing roughly $1 million a year, but Margulies said they will continue to serve Medicaid patients.

• Planned Parenthood and the Maine Democratic party also criticized Collins' support of First Circuit Court of Appeals nominee Joshua Dunlap of Scarborough. They said he has a history of backing abortion restrictions.

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