3:33 p.m. ET, September 21, 2018
Sen. Susan Collins appalled by Trump's tweets about Kavanaugh accuser
From CNN's Clare Foran and Jim Acosta
Republican Senator Susan Collins said she was "appalled" by
President Donald Trump's tweet disparaging Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault.
Sen. Susan Collins on Capitol Hill September 17, 2018.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
"I was appalled by the President's tweet," said the Maine senator, who spoke to reporters at an event Friday afternoon.
"We know that allegations of sexual assault -- I'm not saying that's what happened in this case -- but we know that allegations of sexual assault are one of the most unreported crimes that exist so I thought that the President's tweet was completely inappropriate and wrong."
Collins, a crucial swing vote on Kavanaugh's nomination, added that "we should attempt to make this as comfortable a process for her as possible."
In a series of tweets Friday morning, President Trump called Kavanaugh "a fine man," and suggested that Ford should have come forward with her allegations earlier, casting doubt on her credibility.