Susan Collins Dismissed Our Reporting as Old News. Some of Her Claims Aren’t True.

ProPublica's investigation reveals that Senator Susan Collins and her aides have made inaccurate claims regarding an FBI inquiry into her relationship with Navatek CEO Martin Kao. Kao, who pleaded guilty to fraud, alleged he exchanged campaign cash for government contracts. While Collins stated the Biden Justice Department cleared her, the FBI investigation, based on Kao's claims from 2022-2024, was ongoing until early 2025 and was shut down under the Trump administration. FBI records indicate agents corroborated some of Kao's statements, despite his credibility issues. Collins' campaign has denied wrongdoing, but the article highlights discrepancies in their defense.

Democrats in Maine are accusing Republican Senator Susan Collins of corruption following a ProPublica report detailing an alleged "pay-to-play" scheme. The report claims the head of Collins's Super PAC solicited a campaign donation from contracting firm Navatek, which then received assurances of federal contracts. According to ProPublica, the FBI had proposed investigating this arrangement for bribery, but the inquiry was reportedly derailed after Donald Trump returned to power. Collins's campaign has called the allegations "categorically false," stating the Justice Department and FBI under the Biden administration found no basis to charge her. The report has emerged as a significant issue in the race for Collins's Senate seat, which is considered a toss-up.