A Twitter account run by the New York Times urged followers to contact Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and urge her to vote against a tax bill that will get a procedural vote on Wednesday.
The account, @NYTOpinion, said, “Contact @SenatorCollins, (202) 224-2523, particularly if you live in Maine, and ask her to oppose the Senate tax bill because it would repeal Obamacare’s individual mandate, driving up the cost of health insurance. #thetaxbillhurts.”
Attached were the phone numbers to Collins’ offices in her home state and her office in Washington, D.C.
Contact @SenatorCollins, (202) 224-2523, particularly if you live in Maine, and ask her to oppose the Senate tax bill because it would repeal Obamacare’s individual mandate, driving up the cost of health insurance. #thetaxbillhurts pic.twitter.com/id69OJ4CPC
— NYT Opinion (@nytopinion) November 29, 2017
Another tweet sent by the account linked to an editorial printed in the paper Tuesday night. The editorial referred to the bill as “terrible” and urged both Collins and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to vote against it.
The editorial and subsequent tweets also said readers should attempt to sway some other senators, including Lisa Murkowski, Bob Corker and Jeff Flake, all Republicans, to vote note.
Neither Collins nor McCain have confirmed whether they plan to support the current bill, though after meeting with President Trump on Tuesday, she reportedly said many of her concerns with it are being “addressed.”
The biography on the @NYTOpinion account notified followers that the paper’s editorial board had taken it over explicitly to advocate against the tax bill.
“The NYT Editorial Board is temporarily taking over this acct,” it said. “to urge the Senate to reject a tax bill that hurts the middle class and the nation’s fiscal health.”
The Washington Examiner requested comment Wednesday from a Times spokeswoman.
