Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), not content to let her vote in favor of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh stand alone, has decided that she's not going to stand in the way of the orange behemoth on anything anymore. Despite her "concern" over Trump's firing of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and her expressed belief that it is "imperative that the Administration not impede the Mueller investigation," she's not going to do anything about it. Of course.
Asked if she'll support retiring Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) in his last stand against Trump, opposing his judicial nominees unless a vote is allowed on the floor to protect the Mueller investigation, she says nope, but she'll "continue to urge Mitch McConnell to allow a vote." We all know how much sway she has with McConnell. She also says "I'm not sure I see a link between holding up judges and getting a vote on this bill. There may be other ways."
She's been a senator for 22 years and doesn't see how to negotiate with leadership for an outcome she desires. As for other possible ways? There's another one staring her in the face: government funding legislation. But of course not, because "I'd rather it be considered separately on the Senate floor. I don't want anything that could lead to a shutdown."
In other words, no way is she going to do her job of providing a check on Trump. So much for that vaunted independence she's been running on all these years in Maine.