已定罪诈骗犯马丁·考向联邦调查局供称，他通过空壳公司向柯林斯的超级政治行动委员会捐款，以换取政府合同
2026年9月23日 美国东部时间下午3:24 / 福克斯新闻频道
作者：罗伯特·施马德
民主党在缅因州参议院席位震荡后忙作一团
福克斯新闻特约撰稿人马克·蒂森就格雷厄姆·普拉特纳因性侵指控退选后，民主党紧急寻找缅因州参议院新候选人一事展开分析。蒂森指出，物色一名合格候选人挑战苏珊·柯林斯的重要性。他还谈到得克萨斯州民主党人詹姆斯·塔拉利科第二季度筹款3000万美元创下纪录，暗示民主党可能在传统红州发起攻势。
缅因州共和党参议员苏珊·柯林斯正对自己卷入联邦调查局受贿调查的指控作出回应，她驳斥相关报道是民主党 operatives 和一名臭名昭著的骗子所为。
ProPublica报道称，曾任国防承包商首席执行官、已定罪的诈骗犯马丁·考向联邦调查局供称，他通过一家空壳公司向支持柯林斯2020年连任的超级政治行动委员会注入15万美元，称这是涉及政治捐款和政府合同的更广泛权钱交易的一部分。他的配合后来帮助开启了联邦调查的新阶段，最终发展为更广泛的受贿调查。
报道曝光后不久，柯林斯随即发声，以考的人品为由对其不予采信，并对报道的出处提出质疑。
“我不得不说，我实在不明白怎么会有人相信一名两次定罪的重刑犯的话，两次，两起不同的案件，他被判五项洗钱罪、银行欺诈罪以及向联邦选举委员会虚假申报罪。他是个惯骗，”这名参议员在接受《华尔街日报》记者金·斯特拉斯尔采访时说道。
共和党议员指控舒默策划针对前患者的‘抹黑报道’
2026年1月26日，美国缅因州共和党参议员苏珊·柯林斯在华盛顿特区国会大厦内行走（希瑟·迪尔/盖蒂图片社摄）
在接受《Punchbowl News》的另一次采访中，柯林斯将这场争议归咎于民主党人和参议院少数党领袖查克·舒默，称该报道是“政治抹黑”，并对其发布时机提出质疑。
柯林斯正深陷与民主党人特洛伊·杰克逊的激烈连任竞选。柯林斯能否保住席位，可能对决定2027年哪个政党控制参议院至关重要。任何一位候选人的争议苗头，自然都有可能演变为全国性争议。
福克斯新闻民调：缅因州参议院竞选胶着，两名候选人均遭质疑
2025年7月24日，缅因州共和党参议员苏珊·柯林斯在华盛顿国会大厦离开议事厅（J·斯科特·阿普尔怀特/美联社摄）
ProPublica援引的竞选财务记录显示，考设立的一家空壳公司曾向支持柯林斯2020年连任竞选的超级政治行动委员会捐款。该媒体还获取了电子邮件，称其显示当时支持柯林斯的超级政治行动委员会负责人斯科特·里德清楚知晓考使用空壳公司掩盖其非法捐款的事实。
一封2019年来自一名海军军官的邮件显示，这位参议员曾代表考当时执掌的承包商Navatek进行游说。不过，这封邮件发送时间早于考向柯林斯的超级政治行动委员会转移非法捐款的时间。联邦承包商被禁止向政治竞选活动捐款，这也是考不得不借助空壳公司的原因。
联邦调查局发言人本·威廉姆森对ProPublica表示，该局多年前就对针对柯林斯的指控展开过调查，“最终未发现有牵连柯林斯参议员或其竞选团队的证据。任何相反的说法都是完全虚假的。”
不过，联邦调查局并未回应ProPublica关于2024年启动新调查的提问，该调查是在考与联邦特工合作多年、详细交代其与柯林斯及其他议员的往来后发起的。
“拜登政府领导下的司法部和联邦调查局五年前就已就这些七年前的指控彻底澄清了我的办公室、我的竞选团队和我本人，”柯林斯说道，她也未直接提及2024年的调查。
共和党议员指控舒默策划针对前患者的‘抹黑报道’
2025年2月20日，苏珊·柯林斯参议员在华盛顿特区美国国会大厦出席共和党午餐会（奇普·索莫德维拉/盖蒂图片社摄）
考与联邦调查局合作有着明确的动机。他当时面临多年监禁，希望提供信息能帮助减轻刑期，不过法官最终并未因其配合而对其从轻发落。
“这是一场抹黑行动。作为一名始终以廉洁从政为荣的人，这着实让我感到愤怒，”柯林斯说道。“我也为我的团队感到愤怒，包括竞选团队和个人办公室的所有工作人员。”
周三，福克斯新闻数字频道联系柯林斯的办公室置评，但未得到回复。
Susan Collins tears into bribery allegations as new claims emerge during critical Senate battle
Convicted fraudster Martin Kao told the FBI he donated to a Collins super PAC via a shell company for government contracts
September 23, 2026 3:24pm EDT / Fox News
By Robert Schmad
Democrats scramble after Maine Senate shakeup
Fox News contributor Marc Thiessen analyzes the Democratic scramble for a new Maine Senate candidate following Graham Platner’s withdrawal amid assault allegations. Thiessen notes the importance of finding a viable candidate to challenge Susan Collins. He also discusses Texas Democrat James Talarico’s record-breaking $30 million fundraising in the second quarter, suggesting a potential Democratic push in traditionally red states.
Maine Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican, is addressing claims that she was caught up in an FBI bribery investigation by dismissing reporting on the story as the work of Democratic operatives and a known conman.
ProPublica reported that Martin Kao, a former defense contractor CEO and convicted fraudster, told the FBI that his company funneled $150,000 through a shell company to a super PAC supporting Collins’ 2020 reelection as part of what he described as a broader pay-to-play operation involving political contributions and government contracts. His cooperation later helped open a new phase of the federal investigation that developed into a broader bribery probe.
Shortly after the story broke, Collins spoke up to dismiss Kao on the basis of his character and called into question the origins of the story.
“I’ve got to say, I do not understand how anyone would take the word of a felon who’s been convicted twice, twice, two separate cases, of five counts of money laundering, counts of bank fraud, false submissions to the FEC. He is a convicted liar,” the senator told the Wall Street Journal’s Kim Strassel.
GOP SENATOR ALLEGES SCHUMER BEHIND ‘HIT JOB’ REPORT ON FORMER PATIENTS
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) walks through the Capitol on January 26, 2026 in Washington, DC(Heather Diehl/Getty Images)
In a separate interview with Punchbowl News, Collins blamed Democrats and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for the controversy, calling the report a “political hit job” and questioning its timing.
Collins is embroiled in a heated reelection campaign against Democrat Troy Jackson. Whether Collins keeps her seat could prove crucial to determining which party controls the Senate in 2027. Any hint of controversy for either candidate, naturally, is suited to become a national controversy.
FOX NEWS POLL: MAINE SENATE RACE IS TIGHT, WITH CONCERNS ABOUT BOTH CANDIDATES
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, departs the chamber at the Capitol in Washington, on July 24, 2025.(J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)
Campaign finance records cited by ProPublica show that a shell company established by Kao made a donation to a super PAC supporting Collins’ 2020 reelection campaign. The outlet also obtained emails that it says show Scott Reed, head of the super PAC backing Collins that cycle, was aware of the fact that Kao had used a shell company to mask his illegal donation.
A 2019 email from a naval officer shows that the senator had advocated on behalf of Navatek, the contractor Kao was leading at the time. The email, however, was sent months before Kao routed his illegal donation to Collins’ super PAC. Federal contractors are barred from donating to political campaigns, which is why Kao resorted to a shell company.
FBI spokesman Ben Williamson told ProPublica that it had investigated claims against Collins years ago “and ultimately found nothing implicating Senator Collins or Senator Collins’ campaign. Any suggestion otherwise is totally false.”
The FBI, however, did not respond to ProPublica’s questions about a new investigation it says was launched in 2024 after Kao spent years cooperating with federal agents and detailing his dealings with Collins and other lawmakers.
“The Biden-led Justice Department and FBI totally cleared my office, my campaign, and me five years ago of these seven-year-old allegations,” Collins said, also not addressing the 2024 investigation directly.
GOP SENATOR ALLEGES SCHUMER BEHIND ‘HIT JOB’ REPORT ON FORMER PATIENTS
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) arrives for a Republican luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on February 20, 2025 in Washington, DC.(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Kao had a clear incentive to cooperate with the FBI. He was facing years in prison and hoped that providing information would help reduce his sentence, although the judge ultimately gave him no leniency for his cooperation.
“This is a smear job. And as someone who has always prided herself on serving with integrity, it really offends me,” Collins said. “And I’m offended for my staff too, both on the campaign and in the personal office.”
Collins’ office did not return a request for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Wednesday.
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