On the same day that Senator Susan Collins’ corporate special interest backers flooded Maine with new negative TV ads to try and paper over the fact that after more than two decades in Washington, Susan Collins has changed, a new report reveals that Collins raised money from hedge fund and banking executives in Greenwich, Connecticut.
“Fundraising with hedge fund executives was just too much for Senator Collins to pass up and is more proof that big money has changed her,” said End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller. “Washington dark money and corporate special interests are flooding Maine’s airwaves with lies to save Donald Trump’s favorite New Englander.”
In addition to the Greenwich fundraiser, Collins and her corporate special interest allies have been relentless on the airwaves, running negative ads against Sara Gideon. Just today, 1820 PAC, a super PAC funded largely by a billionaire, announced a $1.1 million ad buy to attack Gideon. 1820 PAC is also working in coordination with one of the largest dark money corporate special interest groups in the country, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, to boost Senator Susan Collins’ campaign.
Senator Collins has worked to maintain the undue influence of corporations and unlimited, undisclosed money in politics. In 2014, Collins voted to block a constitutional amendment that would overturn Citizens United. Collins has also repeatedly voted against anti-corruption and transparency bills, like the DISCLOSE Act, which would require dark money groups to disclose their donors and political spending when engaged in political activity.
In January, End Citizens United Action Fund released its first annual legislative scorecard that tracked and graded the efforts of every member of Congress on money in politics and government reform issues. Senator Collins received an “F” for failing to support common sense legislation that roots out corruption, increases transparency, and strengthens ethics in government.
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