Maine Senator Under Scrutiny for Past Votes Amid FBI Investigation Allegations
Maine Senator Susan Collins is facing renewed attention regarding her support of Department of Justice (DOJ) officials who later played a role in reducing the capacity of a unit focused on investigating public corruption.
The scrutiny intensified after ProPublica revealed that Collins was part of a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) inquiry in 2024 related to an alleged pay-to-play scheme. The investigation was reportedly halted in 2025 when FBI agents involved were removed during the Trump administration.
Although the DOJ unit in question was not directly investigating Collins, the circumstances surrounding its weakening and her connection to the controversy could pose a political challenge. Collins is campaigning for her sixth term, with political corruption among the primary concerns of voters, according to ongoing polls.
Collins has cast doubt on ProPublica’s findings. However, the news organization stands by its reports and has published further articles supporting its initial claims.
In February 2025, Collins supported the confirmation of Pam Bondi as attorney general. The subsequent month, she endorsed Todd Blanche, President Donald Trump’s personal attorney, for deputy attorney general. Both candidates received unanimous Republican support, while Democrats largely opposed them.
Bondi had previously advocated for scrutinizing DOJ officials who were critical of Trump and made unsubstantiated claims of a “deep state conspiracy” against the president. Collins defended her vote for Bondi, citing a thorough review of “background materials” and conducting “personal in-depth interviews.”
In March 2025, NBC News reported that Bondi had managed the reassignment of several staff members within the DOJ’s Public Integrity Section, a unit responsible for investigating governmental misconduct. This followed the resignation of several section members who protested the DOJ’s decision to withdraw charges against then-New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
David Laufman, a DOJ official with experience under both Republican and Democratic administrations, expressed concerns that Bondi’s personnel changes indicated a preference for political appointees over career prosecutors in handling government corruption cases.
“[It raises] serious questions about whether future investigations and prosecutions will be motivated by improper partisan considerations,” Laufman stated.
Two months later, the FBI dismantled the public-corruption squad involved in investigating Collins.
Subsequently, Collins did not sign a letter calling for a congressional inquiry into the reduction of public corruption units, a letter endorsed by other New England senators, including Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, and Peter Welch of Vermont.
As Collins faces a challenging reelection battle against state Senator Troy Jackson, a YouGov poll conducted in September indicated a close race.
The post Collins backed DOJ officials who dismantled public corruption unit appeared first on American Journal News.
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