Hirono Blasts Susan Collins for Her ‘Insulting’ Doubt of Ford’s Story: ‘What is That?’

A staunch opponent of newly confirmed Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) rebuked colleague Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) for her doubting of the woman who raised sexual assault accusations against him.

In a recent interview with CNN’s Dana Bash, Collins again discredited Christine Blasey Ford‘s claim that Kavanaugh was her attacker, delivering remarks similar to a Senate speech she presented last week just before announcing she’d back the then-nominee.

“She said she thinks that Dr. Ford thinks that she was assaulted, which is even more insulting than saying that she gave a very credible account,” Hirono told Bash in a follow-up interview of her own that aired Sunday. “I certainly believe Dr. Ford. Anyone watching her testimony would know, I would say, would conclude that she was being very truthful, and the one thing she that recollects with 100 percent accuracy is that Judge Kavanaugh, Brett Kavanaugh assaulted her.”

Hirono then amplified her criticism of Collins, expressing shock that her fellow senator would claim Ford didn’t know with certainty the identity of her attacker.

“To say that she thinks that Dr. Ford thinks that she was assaulted — what is that?” Hirno asked. “Is she mistaken?”

Hirono added that Collins has spoken to assault survivors, suggesting that she should be well aware of the challenges they face in speaking out after suffering in silence.

“All of us have been hearing stories and accounts from survivors going back many, many years where they kept all these painful, traumatic accounts to themselves and this is what happens with sexual assault survivors that they do not come forward,” Hirono said.

Watch the clip above via CNN.

[Image via screengrab]