'Incredible Story of Corruption': Bombshell Report Puts Susan Collins at Center of Massive Bribery Scheme | Common Dreams
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ProPublica reported that the US senator from Maine, now running for a sixth term, was the "most important patron" of a defense company accused of bribing members of Congress for federal contracts.

Of all the politicians Navatek courted under Kao’s leadership, [Senator Dusan] Collins was its most important patron,” the investigative outlet reported. “The senator’s office steered government contracts worth millions toward the company while her campaign was pumping Kao and his network for donations, according to emails seen by ProPublica. Sometimes they cut checks within 24 hours of the annual defense spending bill, which funds military contracts, clearing a key Senate hurdle.”

  • Manjushri@piefed.socialEnglish
    68·
    2 days ago

    Pretty much. They said that it’s not really bribery if you call it a tip.

    Justice Brett Kavanaugh, writing for the majority, noted that criminalizing the acceptance of gratuities would raise federalism concerns since state and local governments “have the prerogative” to regulate their officials’ acceptance of gratuities. Disrupting those state and local governments’ “carefully calibrated policy decisions,” he wrote, would “significantly infringe on bedrock federalism principles.”

    It’s just a tip, bro!

      • gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world
        9·
        2 days ago

        I mean, the fact that the pay for play took place at a meeting in 2019 and the other guy got sent to prison in 2022 but nothing ever happened to her makes it pretty clear no prosecutor was ever going to be allowed to even try going after her anyway