Augusta, ME – Today, a new bombshell investigation from Propublica revealed that Susan Collins was being examined by the FBI for steering federal contracts to a major donor until Donald Trump ended the investigation.
Propublica: “Sen. Susan Collins helped steer millions in federal defense contracts to Navatek, whose CEO illegally funneled thousands of dollars to her campaign.
The FBI sought to launch a probe and was eyeing Collins and other lawmakers.
Then Trump gutted the unit in charge.”
Read the full investigation here and highlights below:
Propublica: The FBI Anti-Corruption Squad Was Circling Susan Collins — Until Trump Got in the Way
By William Turton, Avi Ascher-Schapiro, Molly Redden, and Kirsten Berg
September 22, 2026
Report Highlights:
Probe: In 2024, the FBI sought to launch a sweeping pay-to-play investigation examining interactions between Sen. Susan Collins and a top donor, records and emails show.
Confession: The donor, an ex-defense contractor, told agents his company won millions in federal contracts by bankrolling campaigns of powerful politicians.
Shutdown: After Donald Trump returned to office, the investigation died, a casualty of his purge of the FBI. Its closure shut a potential window into how Washington works.
###