During an appearance on Fox News Channel’s “The Story,” Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) reacted to critics questioning her vote not to convict and remove President Donald Trump in his impeachment trial earlier in the day.

One of those critics was The Atlantic columnist David Frum, who said it was likely Collins asked for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) “permission” to vote for witnesses. He based it upon Collins’ colleague Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) voting for the articles of impeachment but not Collins, noting both had voted for witnesses.

I dont know why I feel so sure of this, yet I am sure: Susan Collins asked Mitch McConnell for permission to vote for witnesses. Mitt Romney didn't. — David Frum (@davidfrum) February 1, 2020

According to Collins, such a proclamation was “very sexist.”

“You know, Martha, I’ve cast more than 7,000 votes in my Senate time,” she said. “And I’ve never asked anyone for permission on how to vote. So that is just totally wrong.”

“And I would also argue it’s very sexist, that he thinks that I somehow got permission to vote for witnesses, a position I’d taken from the very beginning. I’ve worked hard to get, to ensure that there would be a vote on whether to proceed to witnesses and yet he doesn’t think that that would be true of Mitt Romney,” Collins added. “In fact, neither of us asked for permission.”

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