ProPublica's Report on Susan Collins Proves No Republican Is Safe from Left-Wing Lawfare
Source: Shawn Fleetwood. "Leftists Will Target Any Republican With Lawfare." September 22, 2026. thefederalist.com
The Gist
The author argues that even a middle-of-the-road, bipartisan Republican senator like Susan Collins wasn't safe from being targeted by left-leaning media and government investigations. He claims this proves that no Republican, no matter how moderate, is immune from the left's use of legal and investigative tools to attack political opponents.
Conclusion
The political left will target any Republican with 'lawfare' (weaponized legal/investigative processes) regardless of how moderate or bipartisan that official is, if they perceive them as an obstacle to their power.
Premises
- ProPublica, a left-wing-funded outlet, published a report suggesting Sen. Susan Collins and her 2020 campaign were entangled in an FBI pay-to-play/bribery investigation.
- Collins' spokeswoman and the FBI itself denied any wrongdoing by Collins or her campaign, calling the allegations 'categorically false.'
- Susan Collins is widely regarded as one of the Senate's most moderate and bipartisan Republicans, not aligned with 'MAGA.'
- The Biden administration has a documented pattern of using government agencies (FBI, DOJ, Jack Smith's special counsel) to target conservatives, including Trump, GOP members of Congress, pro-lifers, and parents protesting school board policies.
- One of the FBI agents involved in the Collins investigation was previously implicated in lawfare efforts against Elon Musk and Trump.
- The report was published during Collins' competitive reelection campaign, suggesting political timing.
- Despite Collins' moderate reputation and lack of wrongdoing, she was still made a target of an FBI investigation and a subsequent hit piece.
Assumptions
- ProPublica's reporting was politically motivated rather than a good-faith journalistic inquiry.
- The FBI investigation into Collins (or her associates) was itself illegitimate or politically motivated 'lawfare' rather than routine law enforcement.
- Moderateness or bipartisanship should, in principle, protect a Republican official from being investigated or scrutinized.
- There is a coordinated or systemic 'left-wing lawfare machine' rather than isolated, unconnected incidents.
- The FBI agents' past involvement in other controversial investigations proves bias in this specific case.
- Denials by Collins' campaign and the FBI's statement are treated as definitive proof of innocence, rather than one side of a factual dispute.