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>> Martha: ONE OF THE MOST
RIVETING STORIES OF 2018 WAS
CLEARLY THE CONFIRMATION OF
NOW-JUSTICE BRETT KAVANAUGH.
WHAT SEEMED LIKE A SMOOTH PATH
TO THE BENCH WAS ROCKED BY
30-YEAR-OLD ALLEGATIONS OF
SEXUAL MISCONDUCT WHEN A LETTER
SURFACED MONTHS AFTER SENT TO
CAPITOL HILL.
THE VOTE WAS TO BE RAZOR TIGHT,
AND IN THE END, IT CAME DOWN TO
ONE WOMAN.
SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS FROM
MAINE, SHE VOTED YES AND GAVE A
SPEECH THAT WAS HERALDED AS ONE
OF THE BEST EVER IN THE HISTORY
OF THE DELIBERATIVE BODY.
THE UNTOLD STORY HERE IS WHAT
SUSAN COLLINS ENDURED ON THE WAY
TO THAT MOMENT.
SHE SHARED IT DETAILS WITH US
THAT SHE HAS NEVER SPOKEN OF
BEFORE.
INCLUDING MEN IN HAZMAT SUITS
SENT TO HER HOME AFTER ONE
ENVELOPE WAS DISCOVERED THAT
COULD HAVE CONTAINED RICIN, AND
ANOTHER WITH WHITE POWDER AND A
CHILLING NOTE.
>> THERE WAS AN ENVELOPE THAT
ARRIVED A FEW DAYS AFTER THE
RICIN ENVELOPE AND LETTER THAT
HAD WHITE POWDER IN IT.
UNFORTUNATELY FORTUN
UNFORTUNATELY FORTUT
UNFORTUNATELY FORTUL
UNFORTUNATELY FORTU,
UNFORTUNATELY FORTUT
UNFORTUNATELY FORTUE
UNFORTUNATELY FORTUP
UNFORTUNATELY FORTUS
UNFORTUNATELY FORTUA
UNFORTUNATELY FORTUL
UNFORTUNATELY FORTUS
UNFORTUNATELY FORTUR
UNFORTUNATELY FORTUI
UNFORTUNATELY FORTUE
DID A GREAT JOB INTERCEPTING IT,
AND YOU HAVE TO TREAT EVERYTHING
LIKE THAT SERIOUSLY.
IT SAID ANTHRAX HA, HA, HA.
IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT TIME.
MY HUSBAND AND OUR DOG, PARTS OF
OUR HOUSE HAD TO BE QUARANTINED.
HAZMAT TEAMS BROUGHT IN.
WHAT WAS EVEN WORSE WAS WHAT WAS
DONE TO MY STAFF.
THEY HAD TO BE SUBJECTED TO ALL
SORTS OF ABUSE.
A 25-YEAR-OLD CASEWORKER ON MY
STAFF WHO DEALS WITH SOCIAL
SECURITY PROBLEMS AND THE VA AND
IMMIGRATION ANSWERED A CALL IN
WHICH THE MEN TOLD HER THAT IF I
VOTED YES FOR JUSTICE KAVANAUGH,
THAT SHE HE HOPED SHE WOULDB
THAT SHE HE HOPED SHE WOULDE
THAT SHE HE HOPED SHE WOULDR
THAT SHE HE HOPED SHE WOULDP
THAT SHE HE HOPED SHE WOULDD
AND IMPREGNATED.
I LOST ABOUT STAFFER, SHE JUST
COULD NOT TAKE THE TREMENDOUS
ABUSE THAT WAS HEAPED UPON THEM.
>> Martha: I LISTEN TO SOME OF
THE PHONE CALL MESSAGE IS THAT
RECEIVED.
WE ARE JUST GOING TO PLAY A BIT
OF ONE OF THEM SO PEOPLE CAN GET
A SENSE OF JUST HOW BRUTAL THE
TREATMENT OF THE WISE, AND IT
WILL BE [BLEEP] OUT.
HERE'S PART OF IT.
>> YOU ARE SO [BLEEP]ING NAIVE.
YOU WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS
THE MOST NAIVE PERSON EVER TO
BE IN CONGRESS.
>> Martha: IT IS UNBELIEVABLE,
THE RAGE IN THESE PEOPLE'S
VOICES.
>> IT WAS UNLIKE ANYTHING I HAVE
SEEN IN ALL THE YEARS I HAVE
BEEN PRIVILEGED TO SERVE IN THE
SENATE.
THERE WAS ONE NIGHT I WAS
WORKING VERY LATE ON THE
CAVANAGH NOMINATION, I DROVE
MYSELF HOME AT 9:30 AT NIGHT,
COULDN'T FIND A PARKING SPACE,
HAD TO PARK A BLOCK AWAY, AND
THERE WAS A MAN WHO HAD BEEN
WAITING THERE FOR ME IN THE
POURING RAIN AND DARK.
I LOOK AROUND THE STREETS, THERE
IS NOBODY ELSE OUT, AND HE
FOLLOWS ME TO MY HOUSE, STARTS
SCREAMING AT ME, SHINES A
FLASHLIGHT IN MY EYES.
TURNS ON A CAMCORDER, AND IT WAS
FRIGHTENING.
THE ONLY FUNNY THING ABOUT IT,
WHEN I FINALLY WAS FRANTICALLY
TRYING TO UNLOCK MY DOOR, AND I
TURNED TO HIM AND SAID "YOU STOP
HARASSING ME," AND HE GAVE ME
HIS NAME.
>> Martha: THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
DID THEY FOLLOW UP?
>> THEY DID.
WHAT I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND IS
WHY ANYONE WOULD THINK THAT I
WOULD BE INTIMIDATED BY THOSE
TACTICS.
AND THAT THEY WOULD BE
SUCCESSFUL IN CONVERTING ME OR
CAUSING ME TO VOTE AGAINST JUDGE
KAVANAUGH, SIMPLY BECAUSE I WAS
THREATENED.
>> Martha: THE FIERCELY
CONTENTIOUS CONFIRMATION PROCESS
FOR JUDGE BRETT KAVANAUGH COME I
WANT TO TAKE YOU BACK AND GET
YOUR REACTION.
>> THE WHOLE STAGE FOR THIS VERY
DYSFUNCTIONAL CIRCUS THAT
OCCURRED IN THIS NOMINATION WAS
THAT WHEN CHAIRMAN GRASSLEY
TRIED TO GIVE AN OPENING
STATEMENT.
>> AN EXCITING DAY FOR ALL OF
YOU HERE, AND YOU ARE RIGHTLY
PROUD --
>> MR. CHAIRMAN, IF WE CANNOT BE
RECOGNIZED, I MOVED TO ADJOURN.
>> AND HE WAS NOT EVEN ALLOWED
TO FINISH HIS OPENING STATEMENT
BEFORE HE WAS INTERRUPTED, AND
WHAT WAS CLEARLY AN ORCHESTRATED
MOVE BY SOME OF THE DEMOCRATIC
SENATORS.
>> WE ARE RUSHING THROUGH THIS
PROCESS IN A WAY THAT IS
UNNECESSARY.
>> I THINK IT IS A DISSERVICE TO
THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
WE ARE BETTER THAN THAT, AND
THIS IS NOT WHAT THE
CONSTITUTIONAL PROCESS OF ADVISE
AND CONSENT IS SUPPOSED TO BE
ABOUT.
I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT THIS
REPRESENTS A ROCK-BOTTOM AND
WHAT HAS BEEN A STEADY DECLINE
IN THE DIGNITY AND DECORUM OF
THE NOMINATION PROCESS FOR THE
SUPREME COURT NOMINEES OVER THE
PAST THREE DECADES.
>> I WAS PUSHED ONTO THE BED,
AND BRETT ON TOP OF ME.
I BELIEVE HE WAS GOING TO RAPE
ME.
>> Martha: SPOKEN WITH BRETT
KAVANAUGH FOR HOURS AND
RESEARCHED HIS BACKGROUND, WHAT
WENT THROUGH YOUR MIND WHEN YOU
SAW THAT.
>> IT WAS PAINFUL, IT WAS
HEART-WRENCHING, I BELIEVED HER
WHEN SHE SAID SHE WAS TERRIFIED.
BUT SHE MENTIONED FOUR PEOPLE
WHO WERE THERE THAT NIGHT, AND I
FELT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT THAT
WE REOPEN THE FBI INVESTIGATION
TO HEAR WHAT THEY SAID.
>> I'VE NEVER SEXUALLY ASSAULTED
ANYONE, NOT IN HIGH SCHOOL, NOT
IN COLLEGE, NOT EVER.
>> Martha: WHEN I HEARD BRETT
KAVANAUGH'S REJOINDER TO IT, I
HEARD A MAN WITH GREAT ANGUISH
AND ANGER WHO FELT FALSELY
ACCUSED, SO I FELT THAT DR. FORD
CERTAINLY HAD ENDURED A SEXUALLY
TRAUMA, OR SOME TYPE OF INCIDENT
THAT UPENDED HER LIFE, BUT I DID
NOT FIND THE EVIDENCE, ANY
CORROBORATION, IN FACT, THAT
BRETT KAVANAUGH WAS THE PERSON
WHO ASSAULTED HER.
>> Martha: SOME OF YOUR
COLLEAGUES SAID WHEN THEY
WATCHED HIS REACTION, THEY FELT
THAT HIS TEMPERAMENT WAS NOT
APPROPRIATE FOR A SUPREME COURT
JUSTICE, AND THEY REFERRED IT TO
MOMENTS LIKE THIS.
>> YOU ARE SAYING THERE HAS
NEVER BEEN A CASE WHERE YOU
DRANK SO MUCH THAT YOU DIDN'T
REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED THE NIGHT
BEFORE OR PART OF WHAT HAPPENED?
>> YOU ARE ASKING ABOUT
BLACKOUTS -- I DON'T KNOW, HAVE
YOU?
>> COULD YOU ANSWER THE
QUESTION, JUDGE?
THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED, IS THAT
YOU ANSWER?
>> YES, AND I'M CURIOUS IF YOU
HAVE.
>> I HAVE NO DRINKING PROBLEMS,
JUDGE.
>> NOR DO I.
>> Martha: DID YOU EVER FIND
HIS RESPONSE IS TO BE
INAPPROPRIATE IN THAT HEARING?
>> THAT WASN'T APPROPRIATE.
WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT IT
WASN'T JUST DR. FORD'S
ACCUSATION, BUT THESE OUTLANDISH
ACCUSATIONS BROUGHT BY MICAH MIC
ACCUSATIONS BROUGHT BY MICAH MIA
ACCUSATIONS BROUGHT BY MICAH MIL
AVENATTI AND JULIE SWETNICK,
THAT ACCUSED HIM OF DRUGGING
GIRLS, TEENAGE GIRLS, SO THAT HE
COULD PARTICIPATE IN GANG RAPE,
SO I THINK THE ANGER AND ANGST
OF THAT HE FELT, AND ANGUISH
ABOUT THAT, MADE HIM LESS
TEMPERATE THAN HE SHOULD HAVE
BEEN IN THAT RESPONSE.
>> Martha: WHAT WAS THAT
LIGHT, YOU AND LISA MURKOWSKI
FALL INTO THAT BASKET OF
MODERATE REPUBLICANS THAT
EVERYONE LOOKS TO WHEN THESE
THINGS HAPPEN.
SHE DECIDED THAT SHE COULD NOT
BE A "YES" ."
>> WE ARE VERY GOOD FRIENDS.
I HAD TALKED TO HER THE MORNING
OF THE VOTE, THE FIRST VOTE TO
INVOKE CLOSURE, AND SHE WAS
STILL UNDECIDED.
WE SIT TOGETHER ON THE SENATE
FLOOR, AND SHE CAME ONTO THE
FLOOR AND SAT DOWN, AND SHE
TURNED TO ME, AND I THOUGHT SHE
SAID "I DECIDED I CAN VOTE FOR
HIM."
I MISHEARD HER.
SO I SMILED WIDELY, AND I SAID,
I'M SO RELIEVED THAT WE CAME TO
THE RIGHT CONCLUSION.
THAT WE CAME TO THE SAME
CONCLUSION.
AND SHE SAID, YOU MISHEARD ME.
I SAID I CANNOT VOTE FOR HIM.
I'M SURE MY FACE FELL, BUT IT
HAS NOT IN ANY WAY AFFECTED OUR
DEEP FRIENDSHIP, AND I RESPECT
HER OPINION, EVEN THOUGH I
REACHED A DIFFERENT CONCLUSION.
>> THE POLITICALLY CHARGED
ATMOSPHERE SURROUNDING THIS
NOMINATION HAS REACHED A FEVER
PITCH.
>> Martha: YOU PUT A LOT OF
TIME AND THOUGHT INTO THE SPEECH
YOU GAVE, AND IT GOT PRETTY MUCH
EVERYBODY STOPPED IN THE COUNTRY
TO WATCH, AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT YOUR FINAL DECISION WAS AND
HOW YOU HAD DECIDED TO VOTE.
>> WE MUST ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT
IT IS WHEN PASSIONS ARE MOST
INFLAMED THAT FAIRNESS IS MOST
IN JEOPARDY.
>> Martha: THAT LINE GOT A LOT
OF ATTENTION.
>> I FELT SO STRONGLY THAT WE
WERE REALLY AT A CRITICAL POINT
FOR OUR COUNTRY, AND IF WE, THE
SENATE CONFIRMATION PROCESS IS
NOT A TRIAL, BUT THERE ARE
CERTAIN STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE
TO ABIDE BY.
IF WE WERE GOING TO THROW
OVERBOARD THE PRESUMPTION OF
INNOCENCE DESPITE THE COMPLETE
LACK OF CORROBORATING EVIDENCE,
EVEN FROM DR. FORD'S BEST
FRIEND, AND IF WE WERE GOING TO
DISPENSE WITH FAIRNESS, THE RULE
OF LAW, AND DUE PROCESS, I
REALLY FEARED FOR WHAT OUR
COUNTRY WOULD BECOME, AND
WHETHER ANYONE WOULD BE WILLING
TO PUT THEIR NAME FORTH FOR
PUBLIC SERVICE.
WHO WOULD GO THROUGH THAT?
>> Martha: HAVE YOU SPOKEN
WITH HIM SINCE YOU GAVE YOUR
FAMOUS SPEECH?
>> I HAVE NOT.
I GOT ONE TEXT MESSAGE FROM HIM
RIGHT AFTER IT IN WHICH HE SAID
THAT HE WOULD WORK HARD TO MAKE
ME PROUD, AND THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE PROUD.
>> Martha: DO YOU THINK IT IS
ROCK-BOTTOM?
AS CLAIRE McCASKILL SAID, AND
I THINK SHE WAS SENDING A
MESSAGE, PERHAPS, TO FELLOW
DEMOCRATS, THAT THIS ISN'T
GETTING US ANYWHERE, FOLKS.
>> I WAS SO GLAD WHEN CLAIRE
SPOKE UP, BECAUSE I THINK IT
HURT HER.
I THINK IT HURT JOE DONNELLY AND
HEIDI HEITKAMP, WHO ALSO LOST
THEIR SEATS.
NOT BECAUSE OF THEIR VOTES SO
MUCH, BUT BECAUSE OF THE
SPECTACLE AND THE UNFAIR
TREATMENT OF BOTH JUDGE
KAVANAUGH AND CHRISTINE FORD,
WHO ASKED SPECIFICALLY THAT HER
ALLEGATIONS BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL
AND BE HANDLED IN A CLOSED
SESSION.
>> Martha: YOU WANT TO
ST. LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY, AS DID
I.
A LETTER WAS CIRCULATED, 1500,
SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THE FESTERS
AND ALUMNI, WROTE A SCATHING
LETTER SAYING THEY WANTED TO
RESCIND THE TWO HONORARY DEGREES
THEY HAD GIVEN YOU AT YOUR
UNIVERSITY.
IN THE PAST HAD HERALDED YOU FOR
YOUR BIPARTISAN DECISIONS.
>> IT WAS A VERY PAINFUL
EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE I LOVED MY
TIME AT ST. LAWRENCE.
WHEN I WAS AT ST. LAWRENCE, FREE
AND OPEN DEBATE WAS ENCOURAGED,
DIVERSE VIEWPOINTS WERE
WELCOMED, AND I COULD NOT HELP
BUT THINK WHAT HAS HAPPENED, AND
OUR STUDENTS WHO HAVE MORE
CONSERVATIVE VIEWPOINTS
DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BY
PROFESSORS WHO SAY THERE IS ONLY
ONE WAY TO THINK?
DID THEY NOT RESPECT THE PROCESS
THAT I WENT THROUGH, WHICH I
THINK EVERYONE WOULD CONCEDE WAS
EXTREMELY THOROUGH?
AND IT MADE ME WONDER IF OUR
LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES ARE NO
LONGER BASTIONS OF FREE SPEECH
WHERE PEOPLE CAN ENGAGE IN
HEALTHY DEBATE AND BRING
DIFFERING VIEWPOINTS TO THE
TABLE.
THAT IS WHAT LIBERAL ARTS
COLLEGE AND EDUCATION IS
SUPPOSED TO BE ALL ABOUT, AND
THAT IS WHAT IT WAS LIKE AT
ST. LAWRENCE WHEN I WAS THERE.
I LEARNED SO MUCH BECAUSE OF
THAT.
>> Martha: WHAT ARE YOUR
THOUGHTS ON THE #MeToo TO
MOVEMENT.
>> IT HAS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT
FOR OUR COUNTRY.
IT IS NEEDED AND HAS HELPED TO
HEIGHTEN AWARENESS, AND I HOPE
THAT IF ANYTHING GOOD HAS COME
OUT OF THIS TERRIBLE PROCESS, IT
IS THAT THE SURVIVORS OF
SEXUAL ASSAULT WILL FEEL MORE
EMPOWERED TO COME FORWARD, AND
THAT THEY WILL COME FORWARD AT
THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, AND
THAT THEY WILL BE HEARD.
NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE
GIVING AN ACCURATE STORY, BUT
EVERYONE DESERVES TO BE TREATED
WITH RESPECT.
>> Martha: IT COULD
POTENTIALLY COST YOU YOUR
ELECTION IN 2020.
ARE YOU AT PEACE WITH THAT?
>> I AM.
THE EASIER VOTE POLITICALLY
CLEARLY WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR ME
TO VOTE NO, BUT THAT WOULD NOT
HAVE BEEN THE RIGHT VOTE.
AND I HAVE TO LIVE WITH MYSELF.
I WANT TO BE ABLE TO LOOK IN THE
MIRROR IN THE MORNING AND KNOW
THAT I DID WHAT I FELT WAS
RIGHT, NO MATTER WHAT THE
CONSEQUENCES MAY BE.
MY JOB AS A UNITED STATES
SENATOR IS TO APPLY MY BEST
JUDGMENT, AND THAT IS WHAT I DID
IN THIS CASE, DESPITE TREMENDOUS
PRESSURE, HORRIBLE TACTICS,
ABUSE OF MY FAMILY, MY STAFF,
AND MYSELF.
BUT I REALLY WON'T EVER BE
INTIMIDATED.
I HAVE TO DO WHAT I THINK IS