Story perspectives

FBI Drops Susan Collins Pay-to-Play Case After ProPublica Allegations

By Drooid · Sep 25, 2026, 2:58 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

ProPublica published a report on Sept. 22 alleging Senator Susan Collins steered contracts to Navatek for campaign contributions.
Right-leaning coverage stresses Collins’s poll lead and calls the report a partisan attack.
A New York Times/Siena poll (Sept. 15-22) gave Collins 49% support, Jackson 46%, 5% undecided.
The FBI investigation into Collins’s alleged pay-to-play scheme was dropped with no charges.
Collins called the ProPublica report offensive and a partisan hit job.

History

Historical Context

In August 1974 President Richard Nixon resigned after the Watergate break-in and cover-up exposed abuse of power. The scandal prompted the 1975 Ethics Reform Act, the Church Committee’s intelligence investigations, and a wave of “Watergate Babies” who tightened gift limits. The current inquiry into Senator Susan Collins and Navatek contract steering revives the same patronage worries that once led to 69 people being charged.

1 of 2

Story summary

ProPublica published a report on Sept. 22 alleging Senator Susan Collins steered contracts to Navatek for campaign contributions.
Right-leaning coverage stresses Collins’s poll lead and calls the report a partisan attack.
A New York Times/Siena poll (Sept. 15-22) gave Collins 49% support, Jackson 46%, 5% undecided.
The FBI investigation into Collins’s alleged pay-to-play scheme was dropped with no charges.
Collins called the ProPublica report offensive and a partisan hit job.

1 / 2