FBI investigating Susan Collins campaign - money laundering

[Dr. MB]

https://twitter.com/axios/status/1394756356947775490?s=20

What's happening: A recently unsealed search warrant application shows the FBI believes an executive with a Hawaii defense contractor illegally funneled $150,000 to a pro-Collins super PAC and reimbursed family members' donations to Collins' campaign. There's no indication that Collins or her team were aware of any of it.

Collins helped the contractor at issue, then called Navatek, secure an $8 million Navy contract before most of the donations took place.
The Navatek executive, Martin Kao, was indicted last year for allegedly bilking the federal government of millions in coronavirus relief loans.

Big news!

[Woody]

Nothing burger

[Skunk]

I'm sure she's very concerned.

[NewYorkExpress]

If this is true, then Collins should do the honorable thing and resign.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

I think Concerned Collins will learn a pretty big lesson from this.

[7,052,770]

D+3

[Inmate Trump]

Moderate Republican.

[Bootes Void]

Bro what

[brucejoel99]

There's no indication that she was aware of it, though it'd be a lot cooler if she had been.

[Not Me, Us]

God please let her resign. Troy Jackson for Senate 2021!

[Crumpets]

Sounds like this defense contractor never learned that it's "pay to play" not "play then pay."

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Moderate Republican.

Since when does moderate status or lack thereof have anything to do with the ethics involved in how one sources one's campaign funds?

[Mr. Illini]

Just like ol' Carlin used to say - for being the party of law and order, these Republicans sure do commit a lot of crimes!

[Lief 🗽]

LOCK HER UP!

[DrScholl]

And she had the nerve enough to say that it was a form of extortion when Democrats raised money against her.

[Buffalo Mayor Young Kim]

There's no indication that she was aware of it, though it'd be a lot cooler if she had been.

It strains credibility to believe someone would go out of their way to bribe someone who isn’t aware of it.

[DINGO Joe]

If this is true, then Collins should do the honorable thing and resign.

No, the honorable thing for Collins to do would be to.....lock herself up!

[Torrain]

Given how Collins entire political brand has become a moralising mix of ‘concerns’ and finger wagging at opponents, this would be almost funny if true.

I mean, US election law is so lax! How do you manage to break the rules this badly in a post Citizens United world?

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

If Collins and Tillis lost D's would have nuked the Filibuster and she is blocking everything, ME voters won't be fooled again in 2026

[Inmate Trump]

Moderate Republican.

Since when does moderate status or lack thereof have anything to do with the ethics involved in how one sources one's campaign funds?

In this case, "moderate" meaning money laundering instead of, say, attempting a coup like normal Republicans.

[Pericles]

Doesn't look like Collins herself did anything wrong and I doubt she'd be punished if she did so it's probably for the best that this is just an example of the need to tighten electoral laws.

[Del Tachi]

A literal nothingburger.  The issue is that a defense contractor set up a shell LLC to donate money to Collins' Super PAC, not anything that Collins or anyone working for her did themselves.

[Buffalo Mayor Young Kim]

A literal nothingburger.  The issue is that a defense contractor set up a shell LLC to donate money to Collins' Super PAC, not anything that Collins or anyone working for her did themselves.

Why are they giving six figure contributions to someone who doesn’t know where it’s coming from?

The standards for electeds actually being punished for campaign chicanery is absurdly high, but the idea that she was just blissfully unaware someone was breaking the law to give her money is insulting.

[R.P. McM]

Evidently, Susan Collins is exactly what the people of ME wanted. When she turns around and sells them out to defense contractors, affluent interests, and social conservatives, why should I care? They had their chance. What she does to the WWC of ME is no longer my concern. Sorry, this is what y'all voted for. I can't save you from your own stupidity.

[pbrower2a]

In general, unless an elected official can be connected to a criminal conspiracy to violate campaign laws or to have knowledge of the violations of campaign laws before or while accepting campaign contributions, that official is safe from prosecution.