Andy Kaplan

Yesterday’s @propublica report laid out a pay-to-play scheme involving @SenatorCollins, millions in tax dollars, a former defense contractor, and an illegal dark-money funnel. Sen. Collins has responded with broad strokes statements from campaign spokespeople. This is insulting; Mainers deserve answers to our questions. And to kickstart that process, here are (at least) ten questions she should answer. 1.When your Super PAC received $150,000 from Martin Kao (illegally funneled through a shell company), staff emailed to schedule a call, saying you wanted to "thank him." Did you make that phone call to Kao? Did you know where that $150,000 came from? 2. Internal Navatek emails show that Kao told executives you committed to delivering $32 million in naval contracts soon after that shell company check cleared. Did you or your team ever offer lucrative defense contracts in exchange for campaign contributions? 3.Scott Reed, the head of the 1820 PAC, responded "very smart" when informed the contribution would be routed through an illegal shell company. Do you condone your top political allies arranging end-runs around federal campaign finance law? Will you (or have you already) cut ties with Mr. Reed? 4.Kao told federal prosecutors under oath that during a direct meeting with you, you told him, "You've seen me deliver." What did you mean by that? Was that a promise of an official act in exchange for continued campaign contributions? 5.Emails reviewed by ProPublica show your office directly contacting Navy officials to direct an $8 million contract specifically to Navatek, thus bypassing the competitive bidding process. Why was your office hand-picking a donor’s company for defense contracts? Are there other examples where your office has done so? 6.Your office claims this matter was resolved when the 1820 PAC disgorged the illegal contributions. Does returning illegal contributions after the FBI gets involved constitute accountability? 7.ProPublica’s investigation notes that Navatek’s contractual work did not result in a single product that the U.S. military ended up wanting or using. As Chair of Appropriations, why were millions in taxpayer dollars used to fund a donor’s who provided no value to the U.S. government or our national defense? 8.DOJ's was seeking approval for a bribery probe into these dealings until President Trump gutted the Justice Department early in 2025. Do you agree with Trump's decision to gut the Public Integrity Section and FBI's CR-15 unit, effectively halting this and other corruption investigations? 9.As a matter of transparency, are you willing to release all internal emails and communications between your office, your Super PAC (to the extent there are any), and Navatek? 10.You have indicated that being Appropriations Chair makes you among the most powerful senators in Washington. Are there other instances where you used that power to reward other donors to your campaigns? Given these allegations, how can Maine voters trust that your votes on the Appropriations Committee are based on what's best for our state rather than what's best for your campaign donors? (I reposted this because some folks could not access as an article.)