In the summer of 2016, Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy “joked” about their “family” secret – Russia pays Donald Trump. Later that year, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that a bipartisan effort to expose Russian election interference was unnecessary.

The presidential candidate who won is effectively an unindicted co-conspirator in campaign fraud – the campaign that resulted in his election. Until we know how deep Russian money goes within the Republican Party, this president is in no position to nominate a Supreme Court justice. Judge Brett Kavanaugh is especially inappropriate.

The more I study Kavanaugh’s judicial rulings, the more afraid I become for our country and for Earth. Kavanaugh is the product of the Federalist Society, an ultra-conservative organization. Kavanaugh uses “liberty” as a code word for protecting businesses from regulations – yet not protecting our right to control our body, to choose our partners, to be served with respect by all businesses, etc.

Long-held Maine values reflect conservation and environmental protection. Yet Kavanaugh consistently supports corporate polluters against environmental regulations. Kavanaugh explains that Congress makes the laws and judges interpret them. Yet he always seems to interpret laws in favor of corporations and actively works to weaken our government’s ability to regulate.

Sen. Susan Collins must represent Maine voters and reject Kavanaugh and his radical opinions. I reject the Party of Trump and its extremist dark-money funders’ attempt to impose their greed- and religious-driven ideology on the rest of us. I urge Sen. Collins to vote for our Maine values and reject Brett Kavanaugh.

Sue Hawes

Portland