Sen. Collins Grants Rare Interview to Right-Wing Site Bankrolled By Leonard Leo

Senator Susan Collins recently granted a rare sit-down interview to the Maine Wire, a right-wing digital media site and project of the Maine Policy Institute, a conservative think tank. The Maine Wire is known in part for spreading misinformation and platforming extremists.

The Maine Policy Institute and Maine Wire are partially funded by Leonard Leo: a powerful player in the Federalist Society, an architect of top-dollar, dark-money contributions to conservative causes in Maine, and a donor to Sen. Collins herself.

The Maine Democratic Party released the following statement:

"Susan Collins has long worked to convince Mainers of her independence from the extremism of the Republican party by clinging to a "moderate" brand despite being a power player in Maine Republican politics and darling of national GOP donors.

"By sitting down with a right-wing rag known mainly for spreading conspiracy theories about immigration, sewing doubt in our elections, and downplaying the threat of extremism from neo-Nazis, Senator Collins is giving us a peak behind the curtain to expose just how far down the rabbit hole she will go to chase power and influence in conservative circles.

"Instead of listening to Senator Collins again pay lip service to moderation and bipartisanship in the run-up to a potential re-election bid, Mainers should pay close attention to the deeply partisan people and spaces where she has always spent her time, money, and influence."

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