What They’re Saying: “Private Equity Firm Gave Millions of Dollars to a PAC backing Collins Right Before She Cast a Vote to Advance Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill.’”

What They're Saying: "Private Equity Firm Gave Millions of Dollars to a PAC backing Collins Right Before She Cast a Vote to Advance Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill.'"

Reporting affirms "Sen. Susan Collins is struggling to shake her reputation as a sellout to corporate interests"

Augusta, Maine - In case you missed it, Mainers are continuing to read and hear about new reporting detailing how a PAC backing Collins was funneled $2 million from Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman right before Collins cast a decisive vote to advance the toxic GOP budget bill that extends tax breaks for private equity firms.

Read and see some of the coverage:

Maine Morning Star: Congress is back, but recess was revealing for U.S. Senate race against Susan Collins

• Reporting from Rolling Stone this week revealed the leader of a major private equity firm gave millions of dollars to a PAC backing Collins right before she cast a vote to advance Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill."

National Journal: MAINE: Billionaire Rewarded Pro-Collins PAC Day Before She Advanced OBBB

• Private equity billionaire Steve Schwarzman, chair of the Blackstone Group, donated $2 million to Pine Tree Results PAC-a super PAC backing Sen. Susan Collins (R)-one day before the senator voted to advance the OBBB in June.

• FLASHBACK. Schwarzman donated $2 million to a pro-Collins super PAC during her 2020 reelection bid. In November 2017, Collins dropped an amendment that would've made changes to the private equity industry's carried interest loophole, a policy Schwarzman has opposed, a day after proposing it. (Rolling Stone)

Common Defense: Susan Collins Advanced Trump Tax Bill After Receiving $2 Million from Private Equity Billionaire

• As she gears up for a tough midterm race against a progressive challenger in 2026, Sen. Susan Collins is struggling to shake her reputation as a sellout to corporate interests. A new report out Wednesday may make that even more difficult.

• Collins did cast a crucial vote to advance the legislation to the Senate floor. An exclusive report from Tessa Stuart in Rolling Stone gives us damning insight into a possible reason why:

• "[Collins] cast that vote just one day after private equity billionaire Steve Schwarzman, the chair of the Blackstone Group and a man who will personally reap huge rewards from the bill, kicked in $2 million toward her reelection effort."

Rolling Stone:

Maine Newsroom Video:

See more: BREAKING: "Susan Collins Raked in Wall Street Cash Before Advancing Trump Tax Bill" [Rolling Stone]

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