Washington (CNN) Sen. Susan Collins said that although she thought newly confirmed Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh "stepped over the line" during his confirmation process, she ultimately put herself "in his shoes" when considering his temperament and fitness for the court.

"Well, I put myself in his shoes. He is coming forth and answering an allegation that includes that he was involved in gang-raping and doping girls," Collins told CNN's Dana Bash on "State of the Union" in an interview that aired Sunday.

"I mean, that is so devastating, and I think he reacted with anger and anguish as a father of two young girls, a 10-year-old and a 13-year-old," the Maine Republican said.

Collins, a key GOP swing vote in the confirmation process, was referring to allegations made by Julie Swetnick, who said she had witnessed Kavanaugh attending more than 10 house parties between 1981 and 1983 where he and his friend, Mark Judge, were present. At some of those parties, she alleged, Kavanaugh was "fondling and grabbing girls without their consent" and, along with others, spiking drinks to force girls to lose their inhibitions.

Swetnick also alleged that at some parties, boys lined up by a bedroom to "gang-rape" incapacitated girls and claimed those in the lineup included Kavanaugh and Judge. But she did not say Kavanaugh or Judge assaulted the girls in the bedroom, nor did she provide the names of corroborating witnesses.

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