As a Maine voter who takes the privilege seriously, I work to grasp Sen. Susan Collins’ shifting moral compass. During the House managers’ closing arguments Jan. 24, Adam Schiff relayed a quote originally reported by ABC News. Allegedly leaked from a source in the White House, the report contained President Trump’s threat to put heads of dissenting GOP senators “on a pike.”

Sen. Collins’ outrage compelled her to violate Senate rules and shout out, “Not true!” while Rep. Schiff spoke. Sen. Collins has read countless threats aimed at “disloyal” Republicans by Trump. Remember Sen. Jeff Flake, Sen. Bob Corker or Trump’s constant insults of Sen. John McCain?

Trump actively, aggressively, profanely attacks all of his “enemies,” regardless of party. He seeks to out the whistleblower and invite historic harm for “spies.” Lev Parnas recorded Trump demanding to “Take out” Ambassador Marie Yovanovich. Indeed, on Jan. 26, Trump tweeted that Adam Schiff, “… has not paid the price yet.”

Is Sen. Collins offended by any of those overt threats of physical violence, or only Schiff employing Trump’s own words to implicate his character? Was she angry because Schiff may have spread a rumored quote or because she knew she didn’t have the courage to admit it was completely consistent with Trump’s long record of inappropriate of demeaning, insulting, threatening language?

She likely knows the price of crossing her party’s leader but wishes Schiff had the good taste not to say it out loud.

Peter Lasagna, Auburn