Cornyn calls Collins allegations 'a bunch of BS'

Susan Collins sits in the middle of a storm she says never happened. Republican senators are closing ranks around her. The allegations at the center of it all involve money, contracts, and the kind of exchange that would be criminal if it occurred.

The claim that the allegations are “a bunch of BS” suggests dismissal of serious accusations. That phrase, blunt and unvarnished, came from Senator John Cornyn of Texas. He told USA TODAY as much when asked about the matter. His reasoning was simple. “Because I know Susan Collins,” he said. They have served together for more than two decades.

The allegations themselves trace back to a report published by ProPublica. It describes a pay-to-play scheme involving Collins, her campaign, and a Hawaii defense contractor called Navatek. The report states that the FBI in 2024 planned to launch an investigation into Collins’ dealings with the company. That investigation never commenced after President Donald Trump took office, according to the reporting.

Maine Democrats are calling for Collins to account for the report. They see it as evidence of corruption. The timing matters. Collins faces a tight reelection race in Maine, a state that could determine control of the Senate. Six weeks remain until voters decide.

Collins denies any wrongdoing. She called the allegations “completely false.” Her campaign manager, Steve Abbott, said the claim that they charge people for meetings is categorically false. He said Collins accepting campaign cash for contracts “did not happen.”

The FBI weighed in as well. A spokesperson said the allegations had already been investigated years ago. The bureau found nothing implicating Collins or her campaign. “Any suggestion otherwise is totally false,” the spokesperson said.

The ProPublica report centers on Martin Kao, the CEO of Navatek. Kao pleaded guilty in 2022 to illegally funneling more than $150,000 to a super PAC supporting Collins. He used a shell company to hide the money’s source. The report says Kao later told federal investigators he orchestrated a pay-to-play scheme. He alleged that he and his associates donated to members of Congress and received lucrative federal contracts in return.

ProPublica described Collins as Navatek’s “most important patron.” The report said her office steered government contracts worth millions toward the company while her campaign sought donations from Kao and his network. At the time, Collins was the top-ranking Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee. She now chairs it.

Collins’ deputy chief of staff, Annie Clark, called the allegations categorically false. She said there have never been any allegations of wrongdoing by the Collins for Senator campaign. The campaign was never the target of the FBI investigation, she said. Clark described Kao as an unreliable and dishonest witness. She noted that the FBI and the Department of Justice thoroughly investigated the Navatek matter during the Biden Administration.

Several Republican senators have rallied to Collins’ defense. Senator Katie Britt of Alabama, who serves on the Appropriations Committee, said Collins has the utmost ethical standards. She expressed zero concern for any kind of baseless allegation.

The story raises questions that extend beyond one senator’s reelection bid. It touches on how federal contracts are awarded. It touches on the relationship between campaign donations and official action. It touches on what happens when an investigation is planned but never begins.

I read the FBI statement and feel a measure of relief. The bureau says it investigated and found nothing. That should settle the matter for many people. But the report also says the investigation was scrapped after a change in administration. That detail sits uneasily. It invites questions about timing and motive that a simple denial cannot fully answer.

Democrats in Maine hope to convince voters otherwise. They accuse Collins of corruption. They point to the ProPublica reporting as evidence. Collins calls the report a partisan hit job. She says it is offensive.

The unresolved piece is whether the pay-to-play scheme allegations are substantiated or political rhetoric. The FBI says it found nothing. Collins says it never happened. Democrats say the reporting speaks for itself. Voters in Maine will decide what to believe.

What matters for ordinary people is trust. Trust that contracts are awarded on merit. Trust that donations do not buy access or favors. Trust that investigations proceed without political interference. Those things matter more than which party holds a seat.

Cornyn’s defense of his colleague is clear. He knows her. He believes her. That counts for something in the Senate. It may count for something with voters too. But it does not answer the deeper question about how the system works when money and power intersect.

The allegations could impact Collins’ political standing. They raise concerns about ethical practices within the Republican party. They also raise concerns about the FBI and the Justice Department. If an investigation was planned and then scrapped, people will wonder why.

I do not know what voters in Maine will do. I do not know what the full record shows. I know that the FBI says it found nothing. I know that Collins denies everything. I know that Democrats see a pattern they do not like.

The story will run its course. The election will come and go. The questions about money and contracts and investigations will remain. They always do. That is the quiet worry beneath the noise.

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