The FBI Anti-Corruption Squad Was Circling Susan Collins—Until Trump Got in the Way
From ProPublica | by William Turton, Avi Asher-Schapiro, Molly Redden and Kirsten Berg
September 22, 2026, 5:00 am
Reporting 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.
These highlights were written by the reporters and editors who worked on this story.
Click here to read or listen to the full article: https://www.propublica.org/article/fbi-susan-collins-navatek-campaign-donations-investigation