ProPublica report ties Sen. Susan Collins to bribery scheme; her office denies it
New documents show contractor Martin Kao told the FBI of a cash-for-contracts scheme involving Collins' office before Trump fired the investigating agents.
What to know
- ProPublica reporting alleges contractor Martin Kao told the FBI of a bribery-for-contracts scheme touching Collins' office and other lawmakers, and that Trump fired the agents investigating it.
- Collins' office, through deputy chief of staff Annie Clark, denies the allegations as 'categorically false' and attacks Kao's credibility as a convicted felon.
- Critics, including journalists and political operatives, say the denial ignores documented super PAC donations and emails ProPublica published discussing concealment of the money's source.
- Online reaction is heavily negative toward Collins, with commenters split between predicting she loses reelection and doubting Maine voters will hold her accountable.
The dispute Whether Kao's status as a convicted felon undermines his allegations, as Collins' office argues, or is irrelevant given the documented emails and donations ProPublica cites, as most commenters and journalists contend. · positions read across 45 posts and comments
Collins is corrupt and should lose her Senate seat or face prosecution
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“Susan Collins will be unemployed after the November Elections.”
heckle0007.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
ProPublica's documented evidence (emails, checks) discredits the office's denial
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“ProPublica is pretty thorough. They generally do come with receipts.”
karenmoser.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
Maine voters will likely never hold Collins accountable despite the corruption
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“Maine lives them some Collins an awful lot. They love her a long long time. Corruption and all”
zen1924.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
The story points to a broader cover-up requiring formal investigation, not just a denial fight
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“someone needs to FOIA the FBI investigation files...”
donjorizzy.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
Susan Collins U.S. Senator (R-ME)Martin Kao Defense contractor CEOAnnie Clark Deputy chief of staff to Sen. Collins
Donald Trump President of the United StatesProPublica Investigative news organizationPat Dennis Head of American Bridge (liberal opposition group)
How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage postscomments
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1
Social media reaction calls for accountability and Collins' ouster
A viral Bluesky post sharing the Raw Story write-up drew widespread commentary demanding Collins face consequences, with dozens of comments split between predicting she will lose reelection and doubting Maine voters will punish her.
“The seven-year-old allegations made against Senator Collins and her staff in this piece are categorically false…”
— Annie Clark, Deputy chief of staff to Sen. Susan Collins · source -
U
Susan Collins' team wants to cry "fake news," but @propublica.org brought receipts. I really hope Maine has had enough of this.
2 more of the top 3 · 45 posts in this stretch
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Collins' team after they see the receipts are legit.
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She has been a bad actor since and after Kavanaugh.
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background
Journalists and commentators rebut Collins office's denial — Maine commentator Anthony Emerson, NJ Playbook's Matt Friedman, Democratic aide Isi Breen, the DSCC, and American Bridge's Pat Dennis all pushed back on Clark's statement, noting ProPublica published documented super PAC donations and emails discussing hiding the money's source.
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background
Collins' deputy chief of staff Annie Clark denies the allegations — Annie Clark posted a lengthy statement on X calling the allegations 'categorically false,' saying the Collins campaign was never a target of the FBI investigation and accusing Kao, a convicted felon, of fabricating claims to get a better plea deal.
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background
ProPublica details Kao's FBI account of a bribery-for-contracts scheme — ProPublica reported that defense contractor CEO Martin Kao told FBI agents about a campaign-cash bribery scheme for contracts involving Sen. Susan Collins' office and other lawmakers, and that Trump later fired the agents investigating the matter amid unrelated political vendettas.
What people are saying 21 voices from 1 site · best of 45 · verbatim
- Will ProPublica's documentation trigger a new DOJ or congressional investigation into Collins?
- Will Maine voters actually remove Collins in the next election given the allegations?
- Yesterday
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I get a little bit of pleasure out of knowing that Maine will either get a total crook or a guy who married his cousin. Now THAT’s the America we all know.
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.... "Maybe she learned her lesson" .. like she said when she voted not to dump the child rapist ..
- Sep 22
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President Obama may need to pay a visit there to remind those Boomers of what a good life was like.
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She fucked over every single woman. I don’t need to see the emails already know that she’s a goddamn criminal. Lock that bitch up.
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I challenge one journalist to make her call it a a lie or stfu. She has used all of the work-around terms: preposterous, political, absurd … but not untrue.
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Kashyapp and Todd ended the DOJ investigation into her potential corruption. Collins votes with Trump, quid pro quo.
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We don't have a justice dept now but we need to appoint unbiased investigators, start the process so every criminal gets prosecuted. Only 1 has any immunity and i think the road to voiding it is arresting the rest & all they'll spill to try to deal for reduced sentences.
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Someone needs to drop a house on that witch.
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She says it with such a straight face, if it weren't for her actions, you'd believe her.
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She’s been the worst for so long and Maine sits on its hands. Find it hard to believe they’ll vote her out but there is always hope I suppose.
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Maine lives them some Collins an awful lot. They love her a long long time. Corruption and all
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After 30 years of Susan Collins doing Susan Collins things, I'm done giving Maine the benefit of the doubt. Three fucking decades. They're either enjoying the shit show we've become because their faux-social-liberal asses love the racist misery inflicted or they're just complete dumbasses.
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"Why would you believe a guy who pleaded guilty to multiple felonies involving bribes to Sen. Collins? He's obviously a crook." Not a particularly solid argument.
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I'm sure she'll learn her lesson... Oh brother
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Maybe there should be a statewide poll: "If you found Susan Collins stuck in a snowbank, would you pull her out or leave her to be found in Spring?"
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No, no I have always thought she bore a strong resemblance to the late great Scottish comedian Stanley Baxter..must be some work as a lookalike
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i left her many messages we would look into tubby hubby tommy and how much bank she's made last 15 years
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I’ve always wondered how a beautiful STATE like Maine could have such a witch and have voted for her again and again when she is one of the supreme, lady of CUNTS.. if Christine Ford didn’t do it for you, then IMO something is wrong with you..
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H
Susan Collins will be unemployed after the November Elections.
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She’s been a full fledged liar long before Trump. Acting like she cares about Maine. The only thing she cares about is a desk job with a nice pension. What’s even worse, the people of Maine believe her crap.
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The cover up executed by the Trump DOJ is just as bad, if not worse, than Collins' pay to play scheme.