Three Questions Sen. Susan Collins Must Answer on Corruption Allegations During August Recess

With members of Congress back in their states for August recess, Senator Susan Collins should have to answer for her corrupt record in Washington.

End Citizens United, a leading national anti-corruption organization, is highlighting three questions that reporters should ask Sen. Collins before she jets back to Washington. In Congress, she has been focused on cashing in corporate PAC money and pandering to corporate donors even as families in her district deal with a rapidly worsening cost of living crisis.

These questions get to the heart of the pay-to-play approach to governing and how her relationships with special interests have influenced her votes in Congress at the expense of her constituents.

You’ve taken a stunning $8.45 million in corporate PAC money over your career, more than any politician in Maine history. You own one of the most lucrative stock portfolios in Congress. You oppose a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United, oppose increasing donor transparency, and oppose fully banning congressional stock trading. How can you justify participating in and protecting a system of political corruption?
From enabling private equity tax loopholes to preventing Medicare drug price negotiations, you’ve rewarded your donors with profitable policies while your constituents face rising prices on everyday essentials. What will it take for you to address the cost of living crisis and hold corporations accountable?
Right before you cast a pivotal vote for Donald Trump’s tax bill last year, a super PAC supporting your campaign received a $2 million contribution from billionaire private equity executive Stephen Schwarzman. What was said behind closed doors to facilitate this corrupt deal?

In April, Sen. Collins earned a spot on End Citizens United’s 2026 Most Corrupt Politicians List. The list highlights elected officials whose actions consistently align with personal interests over those of their constituents.

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For 10 Years, End Citizens United (ECU) has been dedicated to combating the two biggest challenges facing our democracy: the corrosive impact of Big Money in politics and attempts to block access to the ballot box. Since its founding in 2015, ECU has had over 1.4 million donors with an average donation of just $14. The group has more than four million members nationwide and is one of the nation’s leading anti-corruption organizations.