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The ProPublica investigation into allegations of corruption by Sen. Susan Collins is troubling in many ways. This investigation was never carried to a conclusion by the FBI, which under the current administration is clearly not focused on the integrity of our public officials. The intentional lack of enforcement is conducive to corruption and self-dealing at the highest levels of our government: in defense contracts, mineral deals, crypto, insider stock trading, etc.

It is clear from the thousands of documents, emails and testimony in this case that there was a level of collusion here with built in “plausible deniability.” However, even if you assume that corruption did not occur, how sad is it that a company with no intention of ever producing beneficial goods for the Defense Department can secure tens of millions of taxpayer dollars solely to enrich itself.

When Sen. Collins touts the money she brings to Maine, this type of worthless spending seems more harmful than beneficial. This type of spending is not what is going to grow our workforce by creating new jobs. It is not helping at all with affordability, healthcare, childcare, energy and education cost reductions.

We need action to grow the real economy in Maine. We cannot complain about how ineffective our government is, how coarse and raw our political communications have become, we cannot demand change if we keep voting to return the same people to office who got us here in the first place. Change requires courage.

Jeffrey Gardner
Cumberland Foreside