Report: Susan Collins Position on Keeping Filibuster Remains ‘Unchanged’

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) has not changed her position on keeping the legislative filibuster intact, as her Democrat colleagues demand its abolition in the wake of a leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade.

On Monday night, Politico published a leaked draft Supreme Court opinion, concluding that Roe “must be overruled.”

“It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives,” the draft opinion, reportedly penned by Justice Samuel Alito, reads. The court on Tuesday confirmed the authenticity of the draft opinion, and Chief Justice John Roberts acknowledged that it was “intended to undermine the integrity of our operations,” though he warned it would “not succeed”:

BREAKING – Chief Justice on #SCOTUS leak: pic.twitter.com/a346EUHjoD

— Shannon Bream (@ShannonBream) May 3, 2022

However, members of the far-left have reacted sharply, unleashing fury on the possibility of the high court overturning the landmark 1973 decision on abortion. Several Democrat lawmakers are calling for the expansion of the Supreme Court, as well the abolishment of the legislative filibuster in order to codify Roe v. Wade into law:

End the filibuster. Codify #RoeVWade with a national law protecting abortion rights. Expand the Supreme Court. Stop this horrifying injustice in its tracks.

— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 3, 2022

I am asking every member of the Senate right now, what other judicial outrage must we endure from this illegitimate majority before we act?

— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) May 3, 2022

Congress must pass legislation that codifies Roe v. Wade as the law of the land in this country NOW. And if there aren’t 60 votes in the Senate to do it, and there are not, we must end the filibuster to pass it with 50 votes.

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) May 3, 2022

Codify Roe. End the filibuster. Fight like hell to preserve our fundamental human rights.

— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) May 3, 2022

Congress must also abolish the filibuster and pass the Women's Health Protection Act to codify Roe v. Wade into law.

— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) May 3, 2022

Abortion care is a fundamental human right and we must legislate like it.

— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) May 3, 2022

This will endanger the very people who need access to legal abortion. The Senate must pass the House legislation to codify Roe, #AbolishTheFilibuster, and #ExpandSCOTUS.

Safe abortions are still legal and we must keep it that way. https://t.co/Y5VrUXH6vY

— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) May 3, 2022

Abolish the filibuster. Codify Roe. Expand the Supreme Court. Protect abortion rights by any means necessary.

We need all of the above. This is an emergency.

— Cori Bush (@CoriBush) May 3, 2022

Collins, a moderate Republican and a potential swing vote in the Senate, has reportedly not changed her position on the filibuster, refusing to side with Democrats, according to reports:

🚨NEW — “Senator Collins’ position on the filibuster is unchanged,” from spox @annieclark25.

— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) May 3, 2022

Notably, Collins defended the filibuster in January this year, warning that the Senate was on “the brink of heading down that dangerous road, a slippery slope toward a tyranny of the majority.”

“Limiting the ability of Senators to engage in debate on legislative matters would give the majority party unprecedented power to push through major changes without careful deliberation or bipartisan cooperation,” she said at the time, contending the move would have “lasting implications.”

Notably, Democrat Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) have also stood in the way of their party’s desire to abolish the filibuster in the past.