On Wednesday, after U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement, Republican senator Susan Collins said she views Roe v. Wade — the ruling that ensures nation-wide abortion access — as "settled law."*
"It's clearly precedent," she said on Wednesday when asked about her stance on protecting abortion laws. "I always look for judges who respect precedent."
But on Thursday, her commitment to upholding Roe v. Wade seemed shaky. Her spokeswoman Annie Clark told the Portland Press Herald that Collins "always looks at their judicial temperament" and "respect for precedent" when evaluating judges, and then clarified that the senator "does not apply ideological litmus tests" to nominees.* Read more...