Lockheed Martin directed hundreds of thousands in donations to Sen. Collins as F-35 program faced crisis
The defense contractor intensified campaign contributions to the ranking member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee shortly before a critical Pentagon budget vote.
What happened
Between May 1 and June 30, 2023, Lockheed Martin employees and executives donated $59,500 to Sen. Susan Collins's campaign committee—the largest single donor blitz to Collins during that period and described by watchdog Open Secrets as part of 'one of the largest coordinated lobbying efforts' around that year's military budget. This timing coincided with a Government Accountability Office report detailing cascading problems with the F-35 program, which was already a decade late and nearly $200 billion over budget. In July 2023, less than two months after the GAO report, Collins voted to appropriate funds for 83 new F-35 jets. Collins's spokesperson stated the donations had nothing to do with her support, characterizing F-35 funding as a longstanding bipartisan priority.
Context
Collins held the powerful position of ranking member on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee during this period, making her influential in Pentagon spending decisions. The F-35 program reportedly has a nine-figure economic impact in Maine, Collins's home state. The pattern reflects how defense contractors focus resources on powerful members of Congress who can direct federal spending to their states and facilities. This scrutiny emerged during Collins's reelection campaign against Democratic challenger Troy Jackson, adding political salience to questions about defense contractor relationships with her office.
What's disputed
Collins's spokesperson denies that donations influenced her F-35 vote. The source notes that contributions by Lockheed employees and lobbyists 'do not indicate wrongdoing by Collins or her donors' and emphasizes that the F-35 enjoyed broad bipartisan support from lawmakers with eligible contractors in their district.