Accountability | Maine
Collins Used Official Resources For Campaign Promotion, Possibly Violating Federal Law
In a potential violation of federal law and Senate ethics rules, Republican Sen. Susan Collins used official resources to staff and produce a campaign advertisement promoted across Facebook in Sept. 2019.
Accountability | Maine
Collins Took Campaign Cash From Top Opioid Distributors, Purdue Pharma’s Jonathan Sackler
Since 2001, Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins has accepted over $150,000 in campaign contributions from corporate PACs of the largest six U.S. opioid distributors and manufacturers -- McKesson Corp., Walgreens, Cardinal Health, AmerisourceBergen, CVS and Walmart -- responsible for the widespread distribution of nearly 75% of prescription opioids in Maine between 2006 and 2012.
Since the beginning of Collins’ Senate career, drug induced deaths likely linked to the crisis have been on the rise in Maine. In 2017, over 400 Mainers lost their lives to a lethal drug overdose, tabbing the State of Maine as having the 8th most drug induced deaths per 100,000 people in the United States that year. Over a ten year period between 2006 and 2016 in Penobscot County, for example, over 56 pills were distributed per person, of which a majority were likely from the same distributors bankrolling Collins’ reelection campaigns.
Accountability | Maine
Collins Voted Eight Times For Republican Plans To Gut Medicare
Despite hailing herself a champion of Maine seniors, Sen. Susan Collins has repeatedly voted for Republican legislation that would have slashed funding for Medicare benefits and against multiple proposals to protect or expand Social Security funding.
According to a review by American Ledger, between 1997 and 2017 Collins voted at least eight separate times for GOP budgets that attempted to slash funding for Medicare.
Accountability | Maine
Analysis: Susan Collins Repeatedly Voted to Undermine Medicare, Social Security
Contrary to a misleading fact-check on her Medicare and Social Security record recently posted by her campaign, Sen. Susan Collins has repeatedly voted for Republican legislation that would have slashed funding for Medicare benefits and against multiple proposals to protect or expand Social Security funding.
According to a review by American Ledger, between 1997 and 2017 Collins voted at least eight separate times for GOP budgets that attempted to slash funding for Medicare.
Corruption & Secrecy | Maine
FEC Reports Suggest Collins Violated Ethics Rules By Accepting Campaign Contributions From Her Government Staff
As recently as January 2019, Sen. Susan Collins’ campaign accepted illegal contributions from her own government staffers in an apparent violation of Senate ethics rules and federal law. The actions undermine decades-old promises to cease the illicit activities of her campaign in the late 90s.
According to reporting by The Hill from 1998, Sen. Susan Collins’ campaign violated Sec. 603 of the Federal criminal code, which states that it is illegal for a Member of Congress to accept political contributions, including an “advance of money,” from employees in their federal offices even if it is promptly reimbursed. Her chief of staff, Steve Abbott responded to the allegations from The Hill by vowing that this illegal practice would not continue. He also thanked the outlet for bringing the law to his attention, which he said the campaign was “not familiar” with.
Accountability | Maine
Collins Flip-Flops Support of Election Security Bill Amid McConnell Backlash
According to a review by American Ledger, despite publicly heralding her support of a recent bill to strengthen U.S. elections against the threat of a foreign power, Sen. Susan Collins opposed that exact same bill -- the FIRE Act -- just last month.
In June 2019, Collins disavowed Sen. Mark Warner’s legislation, the FIRE Act -- which required offers of campaign assistance from foreign countries be reported to the FBI -- stating the legislation was “overly broad” and that Canada should not be held to the same standard as Russia.
Accountability | Maine
Analysis: Susan Collins’ Special Interest Fundraising Has Potential to Undermine Re-Election Campaign
According to a review by American Ledger, Senator Susan Collins is relying on outsized donations from special interest groups -- such as Wall Street and the fossil fuel industry -- to fuel her reelection campaign, despite decades-long trumpeting of herself as an independent voice for Mainers.
In her 2019 second quarter filing, Collins received less than 5%, or $98,000, of her itemized fundraising from Maine itself, while pulling in large contributions from special interests such as Wall Street financiers, to the tune of over $300,000. In total, Collins received nearly $400,000 from Wall Street, the pharmaceutical industry, and the fossil fuel industry -- three of the most powerful special interests in Washington -- over the 90 day reporting period.