Sen. Susan Collins is undermining Maine’s proud tradition of distinguished members of Congress like Margaret Chase Smith, Edmund Muskie, Olympia Snowe, William Cohen and George Mitchell, who spoke out against assaults that undermined our democracy, even when it was unpopular to do so.

Though she says Margaret Chase Smith is her mentor, claims the moral high ground and purports to consider both sides of issues, in actuality Collins is sticking her finger into the wind, weighing the political environment so she can appear to be a moderate and still be assured that her vote will favor the Republican Party. Pleasing Mitch McConnell appears to be paramount.

In 2017 Collins voted 87% of the time with her party. She remains silent on critical issues when we most need her to stand up for our democracy.

She was a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee that spent two years investigating Trump’s questionable interactions with Russia. She knows the danger this president poses, yet she continues to stay silent, always weighing the political implications of any statement she makes or action she takes.

Because of Collins’ lack of integrity and her party’s fealty to this corrupt president, we stand at one of the most perilous moments in our recent history. Our democracy is in the balance, with the real possibility of it tumbling into autocracy under this president unless, and only if senators like Susan Collins, can finally find their moral compass, and vote to convict this corrupt president

If this happens, Collins may be able to salvage her legacy. If not, which is more likely, she will stand apart from those who served Maine before her in her betrayal of our democracy.

Mary Hobson

Topsham