U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), who is running for re-election against Democratic nominee Graham Platner, responded to her opponent’s press conference outside her office on Thursday, writing on social media: “Today, a man I have never met held a press conference and accused me of criminal conduct. That is outrageous and false.”
Collins added: “Mainers deserve better than lies and false attacks. They deserve honesty, seriousness, and a Senator who will keep doing the work,” and “If Graham Platner wants to debate policy, I look forward to that conversation. But making reckless and defamatory accusations because you cannot defend your own record is beneath the people of Maine.”
Today, I laid out my anti-corruption plan right outside of Susan Collins’s office:
Ban Billionaires & Corporations Buying Elections
Pass the “Collins Rule” (no funneling taxpayer $$$ to your spouse)
Ban Congressional Stock Trading
Root Out Pentagon Corruption & Waste pic.twitter.com/sjqkAdmKAL
— Graham Platner for Senate (@grahamformaine) June 25, 2026
Platner replied: “I didn’t say what Susan Collins did is criminal. I said it SHOULD be criminal. She got incredibly wealthy, funneling taxpayer money to her husband [Tom Daffron] & profiting off stock trading while in office (violating the STOCK Act 25 times). In a reasonable society, that would be criminal. Unfortunately, corrupt politicians like her still write our laws.”
I didn’t say what Susan Collins did is criminal. I said it SHOULD be criminal.
She got incredibly wealthy, funneling taxpayer money to her husband & profiting off stock trading while in office (violating the STOCK Act 25 times).
In a reasonable society, that would be criminal.… https://t.co/fsXpkp7cwE
— Graham Platner for Senate (@grahamformaine) June 26, 2026
Platner added: “For the record: The reason Susan Collins has never met me, a constituent, is because she is the least accessible senator in America. I’ve met tens of thousands of Mainers in the span of 9 months. She hasn’t held a town hall since Bill Clinton was president.”
[NOTE: NewsCenter Maine, an NBC affiliate, reported that “Platner alleged Collins somehow directed $76 million in federal contracts to a Washington, D.C. firm called Jefferson Consulting Group, where Daffron served as chief operating officer from 2006 to 2016. He was a salaried employee, not an owner or equity partner, the Collins campaign said.” Collins’ chief of staff Steve Abbott said, “Susan Collins has not funneled any money to Tom Daffron. That’s against the law. That’s a criminal activity. He’s accusing her of engaging in a criminal activity with no evidence.”]