Democratic super PAC attacks Collins

WinSenate, a super PAC working to elect Democrats to the Senate, released ads claiming Republican Sen. Susan Collins voted to cover up Epstein files and received three million dollars from Epstein's business partner.

The Epstein files amendment vote

On September tenth, twenty twenty-five, Collins voted to table an amendment that Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer tried to add to the Defense Department budget bill requiring release of Epstein records.

Collins opposed the amendment placement

Collins said the amendment did not belong on the Defense Department policy bill. She opposed adding it to an unrelated bill because a similar amendment had already been adopted on a Justice Department spending bill.

“It does not belong on the Department of Defense policy bill.”

Collins supported a different approach

In July twenty twenty-five, Collins supported an amendment in the Senate Appropriations Committee requiring the attorney general to retain and compile Epstein records and submit a report to Congress.

Collins backed the standalone bill

In November, the Epstein Files Transparency Act passed the Senate by unanimous consent, meaning Collins and all other senators supported it. Collins said in a statement she supported the release.

“I support the release of the Epstein files. This is an important step for the survivors of these heinous crimes.”

The donor connection claim

The ad cited donations to Pine Tree Results PAC supporting Collins. Stephen Schwarzman, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Blackstone, gave three million dollars total on June twenty-seventh, twenty twenty-five and June twenty-sixth, twenty twenty-six.

Schwarzman and Epstein joined same club

Schwarzman and Epstein were among the first people who paid one hundred thousand dollars to join Core Club, a private New York City club founded by Jennie Enterprise in twenty twenty-five.

WinSenate stretches the business partner claim

WinSenate called Schwarzman an Epstein business partner based on their shared club membership. But other than paying to join and start the club, there is no evidence Schwarzman and Epstein did business together.

Schwarzman denies any Epstein relationship

A spokesperson for Schwarzman told FactCheck.org the men had no relationship. The statement said it would be categorically false and reckless to claim or imply Schwarzman had any relationship with Epstein.

“It would be categorically false and reckless to claim or imply that Steve had any relationship with this despicable individual.”

Timing undermines the donation claim

Schwarzman's first donation of two million dollars came more than two months before the September vote. His second donation of one million dollars came more than six months after the Senate supported disclosing the files.

This is the third misleading ad series

FactCheck.org has now written three times this election cycle about Democratic ads misleadingly citing Republican senators' votes against the amendment while omitting that the full Senate later supported releasing the Epstein files.

Collins faces Democrat Troy Jackson

Collins is facing Democrat Troy Jackson, a former Maine state Senate president, in a close race for her seat in the twenty twenty-six midterms.