Demi Kouzounas, chair of the Maine Republican Party, wrote a letter in support of Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court (Aug. 16). Our two extended families have been close friends for generations, and we have many shared experiences common to the Greek-American community here, but in the spirit of healthy, bipartisan discourse, I must respectfully disagree with her.

Judge Kavanaugh has a reprehensible record on protecting our public lands, air quality and water quality for the health of our children and grandchildren. He has also shown that he believes the U.S. president should be above the law and that Congress should pass legislation completely protecting the president from any legal action. This means a president could break any number of laws and he or she would just walk away scot free. This includes handing control of our country over to the despot of another country.

The American people are not “counting on their lawmakers to move quickly to confirm Judge Kavanaugh.” Americans who wish to preserve and repair their democracy are, in fact, despairing over the looming confirmation of this judge. And “the people of Maine” are not at all “confident” this judge would have any compassion regarding Americans’ health, justice or quality of life. Many, many Mainers are counting on Sen. Susan Collins to stand up for us and our future by voting against Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation.

I cannot take seriously any accusation that Democrats are playing “partisan games.” This country had the chance to confirm the moderate, highly qualified Judge Merrick Garland; not only did Republicans block him, but most also refused even to meet with him. Make no mistake about it – “the interests of the American people” lie with a moderate judge invested in building an American future, not with a radical extremist like Judge Kavanaugh. We’re counting on Sen. Collins to do the right thing and vote against him.

Annie Antonacos

Portland