Susan Collins Denies Probe Report
The GOP senator rejected a ProPublica report on an ended FBI pay-to-play probe.
September 23, 2026 · Updated Sep 23, 4:51pm ET
Democracy Now!ProPublica: FBI Probe of GOP Sen. Collins Ended After Trump Returned to Office
The HillCollins rips report on pay-for-play allegations: ‘Partisan hit job’
FOX NewsSusan Collins tears into bribery allegations as new claims emerge during critical Senate battle
MEDIAiteProPublica has a timely partisan hit on Susan Collins
ABC NewsCollins denies allegations in corruption report: 'Absolutely outrageous'
Raw StorySusan Collins flips out when confronted with bribery allegations: 'He's a convicted liar!'
TechdirtThe FBI Anti-Corruption Squad Was Circling Susan Collins — Until Trump Got In The Way
Boston GlobeMaine Dems hammer Collins over report of pay-to-play probe. GOP senator calls it 'completely false'
Seattle TimesMaine Dems hammer Collins over report of pay-to-play probe. GOP senator calls it ‘completely false’
67%
Left · 6
22%
Center · 2
11%
Right · 1
Pano rates the coverage Mostly Left.
What happened
Sen. Susan Collins
Susan CollinsUnited States Senator from Maine since 1997 denied ProPublica’s report that the FBI investigated whether she was tied to an alleged pay-to-play scheme involving NavatekMartin Defense GroupAmerican military contractor campaign donations and defense contracts. ProPublica said indicted Navatek CEO Martin KaoMartin KaoAmerican former businessman later cooperated with investigators, which helped broaden the inquiry. The report landed during Collins’s competitive Maine reelection race, about six weeks before Election Day, with Senate control at stake. Collins called the story “absolutely outrageous” and a “political hit job.” Her campaign and FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson said the matter was investigated years ago and resolved in 2021. Maine DemocratsMaine Democratic PartyMaine branch of the Democratic Party, US demanded answers. The unresolved issue is whether a 2024 FBI inquiry existed and was later shut down.
How the left told it
Left-leaning accounts treated the allegations as either a major public-corruption case or a warning about weakened enforcement under Trump. Democracy Now! framed Collins as steering military money to Navatek. Techdirt cast the inquiry’s collapse as tied to Trump’s return. Raw Story highlighted Collins calling it a partisan hit job, while MEDIAite doubted ProPublica’s substance.
How the right told it
Only one right-leaning outlet we track covered this: FOX News, under the headline “Susan Collins tears into bribery allegations as new claims emerge during critical Senate battle”.
Maine Senate Race
Part of the storyline · Storyline →- Oct 7Maine Sen. Collins Distances From TrumpMostly Left
- Oct 6Susan Collins, Troy Jackson ClashMostly Left
- Sep 23Susan Collins Denies Probe Report (this story)Mostly Left
- Sep 22Trump Halted Sen. Collins ProbeMostly Left
- Jul 26Troy Jackson NominationBalanced
