Molly Redden

Exclusive: In late 2024, FBI agents were looking at Sen. Susan Collins’ role in a massive illegal bribery scheme alleged by a former federal contractor. Then Trump gutted the FBI and DOJ, leaving no one to carry on the investigation – it’s dead. 🧵

Sen. Collins faced Troy Jackson last night in their Maine Senate debate. On stage, Collins inaccurately described ProPublica’s story about an FBI anticorruption investigation that probed the conduct of her & her staff until Trump’s DOJ shut it down. Let’s get into the facts…

Collins' campaign manager also repeated false claims yesterday, saying Kao “tried to sell this story to the FBI. They didn't buy it.” In reality, we report, agents sifted through 100,000s of documents to corroborate Kao and sought a full investigation based on what they found.

propublica.orgThe FBI Anti-Corruption Squad Was Circling Susan Collins — Until Trump Got in the WayAfter the FBI caught a defense contractor’s CEO making illegal campaign contributions, it sought to launch a sweeping political bribery probe involving Collins and others. Then the second Trump admini...

Abbott continued, “ProPublica bought it hook, line, and sinker.” But of course, we didn’t take Kao’s word, either. Over many months, we reviewed a trove of evidence gathered by the FBI and interviewed dozens of people connected to the story. Then we published the receipts.

Collins also repeated a false claim she made before: that the DOJ under Biden “thoroughly investigated” Kao’s claims and found them “utterly false.” In fact, the investigation at the center of our story ended in 2025, under Trump. And the agents didn’t reach any conclusions…

…Because Trump had them purged from the FBI for having worked on investigations he didn’t like. With no one left to carry out the investigation, it simply died.

Collins meeting with Kao, in the photo, took place Feb. 15, 2018. Kao donated $4,000 to her campaign on June 27, 2018. It’s unclear what Kao agreed to—he declined an interview—but this would be a common sequence in politics: First the money is promised and later, it’s paid.

Collins has yet to explain a more significant meeting, in 2019. That meet was between Kao and a top Collins fundraiser, whom Kao said asked for a huge donation. He gave $150,000. Two months later, Kao emailed colleagues saying Collins promised $32M in new funding.

Kao told agents Collins wouldn’t meet unless he agreed to donate to her. Last night, Collins said, “We have a picture showing him meeting with me…that took place months before there was ever a contribution.” Her campaign released the pic. But that doesn’t contradict our story.

Here is what we reported. It accurately reflects what Kao told the FBI: that Collins wanted an agreement to donate before they met.

A recap: the FBI was probing a potential bribery scheme in Congress until Trump gutted the bureau. Martin Kao, an ex-govt contractor facing prison, told the FBI he traded campaign donations for military contracts. Agents corroborated parts of his story and launched an investigation.

Collins’ office “vigorously” denied Kao’s bribery allegations, calling them “outlandish” The anti-corruption agents on the case were pushed out in Trump’s purge of the FBI. An FBI spokesman defended their ouster and said the bureau “ultimately found nothing” implicating Collins.

Former Navatek executives, meanwhile, looked back with awe at how far their money went. “It was eye-opening for me, frankly,” said one. “‘Oh my God, all of it is for sale. It’s all for sale.’” READ MORE: www.propublica.org/article/fbi-...

“You’ve seen me deliver.” That’s what Collins told Kao, he said, as her staff pressured him to up his donations. Kao wound up giving the Collins super PAC $150,000 in late 2019. Weeks later, according to an email, Collins’ office agreed to support $32m in new Navatek projects.

ProPublica is revealing the existence of the case for the first time. These are the kinds of corruption claims Trump’s DOJ ignores. So we did our own investigation—knocking on doors as far away as Hawaii, looking at thousands of records that got the FBI to take Kao seriously

@justinelliott.bsky.social

The contractor, Martin Kao, claimed he bribed Collins with campaign money for her help securing gov contracts for his boat-building company, Navatek. Kao routed $190k to Collins at a low point in her 2020 reelection effort. Collins steered almost $40 mil in contracts to Navatek.

Molly Redden reposted

Justin Elliott

14 Sept

New: Donald Trump Jr.’s Bahamas Wedding Was Secretly Bankrolled by Russian Oligarch Close to Putin www.propublica.org/article/dona... w/ @josh-kaplan.bsky.social @amierjeski.bsky.social

propublica.orgDonald Trump Jr.’s Wedding Bankrolled by Putin-Linked Russian OligarchThe oligarch, Umar Kremlev, spent hundreds of thousands on expenses like renting out a private island. He appears to have met Trump Jr. only recently, but he attended the intimate wedding with a large...

Molly Redden reposted

Christopher Mathias

@letsgomathias.bsky.social

14 Sept

NEW: @talkingpointsmemo.com can reveal GOP nominee for Florida legislature: -marched at deadly Charlottesville Nazi rally w/ white supremacist group's flag -has *many* white supremacist donors -appears to advocate lynching He is expected to win Nov. election talkingpointsmemo.com/news/florida...

talkingpointsmemo.comExclusive: He Marched With Nazis in Charlottesville. Now He’s Expected to Join the Florida Legislature.The Republican nominee for a seat in the Florida House of Representatives...

Molly Redden reposted

Matt Shuham

@mattshuham.bsky.social

24 Aug

Today is my last day at HuffPost. Like many others, I was hit by mass layoffs at BuzzFeed. I've done my best to hold power to account and tell complex stories with care, and I'm going to keep doing that. So please keep sending me tips! Contact: mattshuham@protonmail.com, 646-397-4678 (cell/Signal)

HuffPost Union@huffpostunion.bsky.social

A statement from the HuffPost Union @wgaeast.bsky.social on today's layoffs.

Molly Redden reposted

Levi Kalish

@kalish.bsky.social

24 Aug

After 3 years, it's my last day at HuffPost. I was laid off as part of the larger cuts at BuzzFeed. I'm not sure what comes next but I'm proud of our union for holding it down. If you’re an editor or lit agent looking for someone to write about trans rights and politics, hmu at levikalish@proton.me

@charlesornstein.bsky.social

24 Aug

Jess is the best investigative reporter ever to work at HuffPost. Her journalism has saved lives! Everyone in the newsroom looked to her for guidance and leadership because she never fails to show up for her colleagues. Whoever hires her next is truly winning the lottery. Jess forever ❤️❤️

Jessica Schulberg@jessicaschulberg.bsky.social

Today is my last day at HuffPost. After 11 years, I was laid off as part of the 33% cuts at BuzzFeed. My team, the National desk, was cut from 7 reporters to 3, after being cut from 14 to 7 just over a year ago

Molly Redden reposted

kalibomeli.bsky.social

@kalibomeli.bsky.social

28 July

1/ This is Nick Adams. He’s a big deal in MAGA world. He’s got 638K followers on X and 2.1M on Facebook. President Trump even appointed him to a role at the State Dept. But when I started digging into Adams' nonprofit for "civics" education, something didn't look right ... 🧵

Molly Redden reposted

Charles Ornstein

9 June

Before entering politics, Tim Sheehy ran an aerial firefighting company, Bridger Aerospace. In the Senate, he has sought to cut regulations and expand the government’s use of private aircraft on wildfires, while still owning stock in the company. @abestreep.bsky.social

propublica.orgA U.S. Senator Pushed to Cut Firefighting Aircraft Inspections the Same Month His Former Company Failed OneBefore entering politics, Tim Sheehy ran an aerial firefighting company, Bridger Aerospace. In the Senate, he has sought to cut regulations and expand the government’s use of private aircraft on wildf...

Molly Redden reposted

ProPublica

@propublica.org

9 June

NEW: Regulators have linked Mark McAfee’s raw dairy farm to more than a dozen recalls and outbreaks that left hundreds of people ill. “I’ve put a couple kids in the hospital,” McAfee said. “But here’s the thing: I’m a pioneer.”

propublica.orgHe Profits Off Raw Milk That's Making People Sick. The Government Isn't Stopping Him.With Raw Farm, the largest raw-milk dairy in the country, Mark McAfee has capitalized on a once-fringe product that's been thrust into the mainstream in recent years and backed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

After a decade+ of nonstop pollution offenses, GOP Sen. Jim Justice's coal empire learned earlier this year that it was under federal criminal investigation. But before prosecutors could gather crucial evidence, Todd Blanche's office told them "pencils down."

Killing a case this early, before the evidence is clear, is extremely unusual. “I’ve never heard of that happening before,” said one former prosecutor. The case even had sign-off from a Trump-chosen US Attorney. But a DOJ spokesperson dismissed critics as “deep state” members.

propublica.orgTrump Administration Killed Criminal Investigation of GOP Senator’s Coal CompaniesEPA and Justice Department officials were looking into potential criminal violations by the vast coal empire owned by Sen. Jim Justice. Then the Office of the Deputy Attorney General told them “pencil...

“There’s never been any intentional wrongdoing by the companies,” a lawyer for Justice's companies said, and claims to the contrary are from a “disgruntled” former employee. Read our full story: www.propublica.org/article/trum...

Sen. Justice is Trump's personal friend. His companies have been accused of thousands of environmental violations in civil courts but have never faced criminal charges. In 2016, they entered a consent decree to address 23,693 violations of the Clean Water Act.

More recent legal proceedings suggest Justice's companies were knowingly flouting the law — a crime. Prosecutors subpoenaed company records this year for further evidence. Then Sen. Justice's lawyers directly lobbied the DOJ, and the Deputy AG Office under Blanche shut it down

Read my story with Avi Asher-Schapiro on how the Trump administration killed a criminal investigation into GOP Sen. Jim Justice's coal empire: www.propublica.org/article/trum...

A billionaire known as “Bitcoin Jesus” was under indictment for massive criminal tax fraud and very likely going to prison. Then, he hired a “Friend of Trump” and the criminal charges disappeared. How did they do it? Avi Asher-Schapiro and I spent months getting the inside story.

“Friends of Trump” are now in high demand for uber-wealthy people accused of white collar crimes. One defense attorney said he would point clients to Ver’s deal—which Kise signed in giant letters—and say, “These are the guys who got this done.”

propublica.orgHow “Bitcoin Jesus” Avoided Prison, Thanks to One of the “Friends of Trump”Billionaire fugitive Roger Ver was facing federal criminal charges until he sought the services of a select club of President Donald Trump’s former personal attorneys who have easy access to top Justi...

Read the full story from me and Avi Asher-Schapiro here: www.propublica.org/article/bitc...

The DOJ responded that Ver “took full responsibility for his gross financial misconduct” and under Trump, no one can buy their way out of accountability. Kise, Ver, Blanche and the White House did not comment.

Ver had always maintained he never intended to dodge taxes and assessing Bitcoin for tax purposes is difficult. His lawyers argued the DOJ took his statements out of context. Ver admitted to “willful” misconduct in the final deal.

After Kise’s intervention, DOJ took prison off the table. They abandoned the criminal charges. They offered Ver a deal to go free if he paid $50m in taxes and fees–the same amount he allegedly owed 10+ years ago. Less than he recently paid for a luxury yacht.

Kise even dictated that the final agreement could not use the word “fraud.” The deal astonished tax experts. “I know of no cases like this,” said one. A DOJ prosecutor says the deal crushed morale. “It stinks to high heaven.”

But the DOJ under Trump has changed dramatically. A small club of lawyers who are tight with the admin–prosecutors have nicknamed them “Friends of Trump”–have easy access to DOJ leadership. Ver hired Chris Kise, Trump’s onetime personal attorney. www.propublica.org/article/bitc...

Kise had helped bring Todd Blanche into Trump’s inner circle. Blanche is now the No. 2 at Justice. Kise got to work lobbying Blanche and another former Trump family lawyer in DOJ leadership. They cut career prosecutors out of the loop and negotiated with Ver’s team directly.

Prosecutors felt their case was airtight, per those familiar: Emails of Ver misleading his own lawyers about his assets. A speech in which Ver said that friends ask him how to use BTC to evade taxes.

They believed the crypto world was rife with tax fraud and they wanted to make an example of Ver. They were ready to go to trial.

The billionaire, Roger Ver, is not hardcore MAGA. He’s a libertarian who renounced his US citizenship a decade ago on what he called “the happiest day of his life.” When he left, he controlled about 1% of the world supply of Bitcoin. The DOJ claimed he dodged ~$50m in taxes.

Molly Redden reposted

Bill Grueskin

@bgrueskin.bsky.social

21 Nov 2025

In today's Laurels/Darts, I interview Jessica Schulberg, the Huffpost reporter who has extensively covered an unjust Oklahoma death-penalty case. She was at the penitentiary when the the convict was spared -- exactly 2 minutes before he was scheduled to die. www.cjr.org/laurels-and-...

job-boards.greenhouse.ioSenior Editor, BusinessNew York City, United States

18 Nov 2025

You know one sign of sophisticated intelligence is the ability to integrate new information and not lose your job twice for essentially the same reason

Molly Redden reposted

Jesse Eisinger

@jeisinger.bsky.social

12 Nov 2025

JOB ALERT! We are hiring a business editor. You have an unerring instinct for the jugular of the wealthy & powerful? Build a team with me and we’ll get after it! job-boards.greenhouse.io/propublica/j... You can email me or on Signal at 718-496-5233

Molly Redden reposted

Jessica Schulberg

@jessicaschulberg.bsky.social

5 Nov 2025

BREAKING: In a 3-2 vote Oklahoma's Pardon and Parole board recommended clemency for Tremane Wood, a man sentenced to death for a killing his brother admitted to committing www.huffpost.com/entry/oklaho...

huffpost.comTremane Wood, Who Was Never Proven To Have Killed Anyone, Gets Clemency RecommendationThe 3-2 vote was a stunning outcome in a case where the Oklahoma attorney general has personally intervened to try to secure Wood’s execution.

Jessica Schulberg@jessicaschulberg.bsky.social

Tremane Wood is facing execution on November 13. I revisited his case to investigate how a group of judges and prosecutors have secretly coordinated in ways that have undermined Tremane’s final chance to live. www.huffpost.com/entry/oklaho...

huffpost.comA Red State Is Preparing To Execute A Man Who Was Never Proven To Have Killed AnyoneNext week, Tremane Wood will have the chance to make his case for mercy. Oklahoma's attorney general is fighting to ensure his death.

Molly Redden reposted

Jessica Schulberg

@jessicaschulberg.bsky.social

3 Nov 2025

Jessica Schulberg@jessicaschulberg.bsky.social

In 2001 brothers Jake and Tremane Wood committed a botched robbery that left Ronnie Wipf dead. Jake, who said he killed Ronnie, was sentenced to life. Tremane, who insisted he did not kill anyone, was sentenced to death. www.huffpost.com/entry/death-...

huffpost.comHis Brother Admitted To A Murder. He Is Sentenced To Die For ItTremane Wood’s lawyer struggled with addiction throughout his high-stakes murder trial. Is that why Tremane received a death sentence and his brother did not?

Molly Redden reposted

Joel Jacobs

@joeljacobs.bsky.social

6 Aug 2025

NEW from me: The CFPB's consumer complaint system is more popular than ever, fielding over 2.7M complaints last year. But Republican lawmakers still voted to slash the CFPB's budget, even after referring thousands of their own constituents' issues to the agency. www.propublica.org/article/cfpb...

propublica.orgThese GOP Lawmakers Referred Constituents to the CFPB for Help. Then They Voted to Gut the Agency.Many of the same Republican lawmakers who have targeted the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for cuts have collectively directed thousands of constituents’ complaints about banks, credit cards, lo...