Glen Mandigo denies tying Collins's support to donations
Glen MandigoNavatek lobbyist and co-founder of Strategic Marketing Innovations
Mandigo denies advising Navatek that Collins's support depended on donations and says he never observed such conduct by Collins or her staff.
Responding to
Susan Collins knowingly participated in a pay-to-play arrangement in which Navatek campaign support was exchanged for her office's assistance obtaining federal contracts.
“I did not advise Navatek officials, nor would I advise any client, that support from Sen. Collins was contingent on campaign donations.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Did Susan Collins Trade Federal Contract Support for Navatek Campaign Donations?
Former Navatek chief executive Martin Kao told FBI agents that Susan Collins and people around her knowingly participated in an arrangement connecting campaign support to federal-contract assistance. Collins's office, an FBI spokesperson and several participants dispute that account. Criminal proceedings and an FEC settlement established illegal contributions by Navatek-linked actors, but no public charge or court finding establishes that Collins knowingly joined a quid pro quo.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
Anchor investigation reporting previously undisclosed FBI cooperation interviews, internal company emails, campaign and lobbying communications, and responses from Collins's office, the FBI, Scott Reed, Glen Mandigo, Andy Winer and Steven Loui. The article says Kao had credibility incentives and that no one working for Collins was charged.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Kao told investigators that Mandigo asked how much funding Navatek wanted and how much Kao was prepared to contribute, and later relayed a request to bundle campaign donations.
After the quotation
Collins's deputy chief of staff separately said it was inaccurate to describe Mandigo as close to the senator's office.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Relative to the alleged exchange, Mandigo expressly says he did not make support contingent on donations and never observed such behavior from Collins or her staff. This directly denies the alleged conduct.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Martin Kao, Susan Collins
More from this case
Read the full caseCollins calls the Navatek allegations completely false
“The allegations are completely false ... We have a picture of his meeting with me and with other people in my office that is many months before he ever made a single contribution ... He spun this story up again in the hopes that the judge would be lenient, or the prosecutor would be.”Read statement
Abbott says a photo disproves the claim that Kao had to donate before meeting Collins
“ProPublica has the theory that Martin Kao, based on Martin Kao's word, had to make a donation before he could get in to see Susan Collins. As you can see from that picture, it's not true”Read statement
Collins campaign says it has no record of Collins calling Kao to thank him
“Neither Susan Collins nor anyone who worked for her believes that she made a call”Read statement
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- Glen Mandigo denies tying Collins's support to donations
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The Dispute Index. "Glen Mandigo denies tying Collins's support to donations". First published: 2026-09-22. Last updated: 2026-09-22. https://disputeindex.com/events/1520-mandigo-denies-advising-navatek-that-collins-s-support