PORTLAND (NEWS CENTER Maine) — Police in Bangor and the U.S. Capitol are treating a suspicious letter, delivered to the Bangor home of U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, very seriously.
Bangor police brought in hazardous material experts and have been in talks with Capitol Police, who have reportedly sent a team to Maine.
There is no official word whether the letter actually contained anything dangerous, but it is an indication of the continuing tension that exists following the vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Kavanaugh controversy put Sen. Collins in what is arguably the brightest spotlight of her 22-year Senate career, as a result of harsh and continuing criticism of her vote.
There were repeated protests outside Collins’ offices in Maine and Washington, D.C. Her staff reported aggressive and threatening phone calls. After an incident outside her Washington, D.C., home, Collins took on security to travel from home to work. The protests became louder immediately before and after the confirmation vote. Women’s groups said Collins had “betrayed” them by voting to confirm Kavanaugh.
Collins herself, while acknowledging the intense opposition, said it had not swayed her.
"It’s obvious there are going to be people very angry with me no matter what I did and I have to do what I think is right and that’s what I did," Collins told NEWS CENTER Maine after the vote.
But the anger did not let up, according to her staff. Maine State Police placed troopers at her Bangor home several days to prevent trouble there. And while there has not been any information about the contents of the letter received Monday, the current political climate and continuing anger at Collins clearly prompted police to treat it as a real threat.