ProPublica says a later FBI inquiry into allegations that Sen. Susan Collins helped Navatek win defense contracts in exchange for donations was dropped after Donald Trump took office. Collins denies wrongdoing; the FBI says an earlier probe found nothing implicating her.
Former Navatek CEO Martin Kao told investigators that donations to Collins and her super PAC were tied to government contracts. ProPublica cited a $150,000 super PAC donation made through an LLC and $32 million in naval contracts, and said it corroborated much of Kao’s account with emails and other records. Kao pleaded guilty to campaign-finance and Paycheck Protection Program fraud and cooperated with the FBI while seeking leniency.
Collins’ deputy chief of staff called the allegations categorically false, said the campaign was never an FBI target and that the office cooperated with a Justice Department investigation. She said the campaign returned Kao’s illegal contributions without its knowledge. The FBI spokesperson did not address the reported later inquiry. Collins’ opponent, Troy Jackson, called the report corruption of the highest order. A RealClearPolitics average showed Jackson leading 47.2% to Collins’ 45.4% ahead of November’s election.