Abusive calls are the latest in a pressure campaign against Senator Collins

WASHINGTON – The pressure campaign on Senator Susan Collins, R-Maine, to oppose the confirmation of Supreme Court candidate Brett Kavanaugh has increased to include vulgar phone calls, shipments of hangers sent to his office and a questionable fundraiser against her that her office equates to extortion.

As a potential GOP vote, Collins has been at the center of attention on both sides since President Donald Trump announced the appointment of Kavanaugh in July. Now that the Senate's judicial hearings are over and the appointment is about to take place in the Senate, progressive activists are increasing the pressure, fearing that Kavanaugh will defend the right to abortion and return to the protections of care health.

For her part, Collins has spoken little about how she could vote on the final confirmation, keeping her in the crosshairs for an attack attack and providing a target for frustrated militants.

Some callers were particularly abusive, according to records obtained by NBC News from his office. Voice messages to profanation reveal the anger over Kavanaugh's appointment and, eventually, should they vote to confirm it.

A correspondent on Friday, September 7 at 6:11 left a message saying in part: "If you like the choice of women, vote" no "to Kavanaugh. Do not be a stupid bitch. F *** you too. "

In a second voicemail, the call calls Collins "an imperfect, flawless, fleshless woman, who lets Trump and her replacements steal the right to choose what women do with their bodies." And you stood up, "Oh, I do not know I'm so naive. F *** you. F *** you. "

And in a letter sent to his Portland, Maine, office on August 9, the writer says that "EVERY waitress serving you will spit in your food, and that's if you're lucky," *! Think of each meal. "

On another front, the "Be. The A. Hero campaign raised more than $ 1 million as part of a public procurement campaign to pressure Collins to vote against Kavanaugh.

The organizers say the fund's donors will receive their money if Collins votes against Kavanaugh, but if she votes for him, he will be given to a potential opponent when he is re-elected in 2020, according to the organizers. Alliance of the people of Maine.

The campaign is led by Ady Barkan, a patient and father of ALS, who called on Senators to enforce health protection measures.

Collins' office calls the effort a bribe attempt.

"Corruption will not work on Senator Collins. Extortion will not work on Senator Collins. And anyone who thinks that these tactics would work on Senator Collins obviously does not know her, "spokeswoman Annie Clark said in a statement. "Senator Collins will decide on the merits of the appointment. Threats or other attempts to intimidate will not play a role in his decision making. "

Cleta Mitchell, a Republican advocate for campaign finance at Foley & Lardner, agrees with the Collins office, saying the initiative is "legally problematic". Although she is not directly affiliated with Collins, Mitchell says she will send a letter to the US Attorney's Office requesting an investigation of the fund.

"If they went into his office and said we would give you a million dollars to vote against Kavanaugh, well, it's a bribe," Mitchell said. "It certainly seems to me that it's a useful thing for an official action and it's a quid-pro-quo. It is linked to a specific vote. "

Marie Follayttar, with Mainers for Accountable Leadership, defends their campaign. "We have the right to prepare to overthrow it," said Follayttar. They plan to deliver more than 500 handwritten letters to the Collins Maine office on Wednesday.

Collins has been the target of left and right groups since Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement. Activists from both sides organized rallies outside his Maine offices, and opponents to Kavanaugh sent hangers to his office, a return to unsafe abortion methods.

Republicans hold 51 Senate seats, it would take two Republicans to join all Democrats to vote against Kavanaugh to block his nomination (because Vice President Mike Pence would be the deciding vote in case of a tie 50- 50).

Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, is also considered a potential vote against Kavanaugh. In addition, three Senate Democrats voted to confirm President Trump's last candidate, Neil Gorsuch, and all three face tough reelection struggles in November in hand-held states.

But Collins has received the most intense attention from activists. The Progressive Change campaign committee has published full announcements in Collins' local newspaper, the Bangor Daily News. The announcement indicates that Collins' legacy will have more than 50,000 women imprisoned by 2032 for abortion if she votes for Kavanaugh.

The announcement also quotes Trump, telling Fox News, Chris Wallace, that he will "appoint pro-life judges" to the Supreme Court and Trump by telling MSNBC's Chris Matthews that there should be "some form of of punishment "for women who abort.

The advertising campaign will also be conducted in Alaska, targeting Murkowski, if enough money is collected.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell again said on Tuesday that he planned to hold the poll the last week of September, which would have allowed Kavanaugh to sit for the first day of the new term.