Last night during an ABC town hall, Donald Trump continued to spread misinformation and downplay the threat posed by coronavirus, while falsely claiming he had actually “up-played” the pandemic. After Senator Susan Collins said in last week’s debate that Trump, "had an obligation as president to be straightforward" about the ongoing public health crisis, Mainers deserve to know: Do Trump’s comments during last night’s town hall meet her standard for straightforwardness?
Senator Collins refused to condemn Trump for intentionally deceiving the public about the severity of the virus while simultaneously attempting to rewrite her own history of defending his early response to the pandemic. Now, as the president continues to spread misinformation about a crisis that has taken the lives of nearly 200,000 Americans, she’s refused to disavow his actions and won’t even give Mainers an honest answer about whether she believes he should lead the country for four more years.
“Last night’s town hall is only the latest evidence that Donald Trump has no intention of being honest or straightforward about his failure to prepare our country for the coronavirus crisis, and Senator Collins’ refusal to repudiate his lies is unconscionable,” said Maine Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Marra. “Mainers need a Senator who will fight back against Trump’s dangerous misinformation, but Collins is too afraid of this president to do what’s right for our state.”
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