The FBI investigated whether former South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and Rep. James Clyburn were involved in a bribery scheme connected to Hawaiian naval defense contractor Navatek obtaining federal contracts, according to a ProPublica report. The report describes meetings between Navatek executives and South Carolina politicians and alleges that campaign donations and other gifts were exchanged for government business.
The outlets largely draw from the same ProPublica reporting. Salon and the New Republic frame the investigation through the actions of the FBI after President Donald Trump returned to office, saying an investigation team was eliminated and the case did not proceed. The Hill focuses more narrowly on the existence of the FBI inquiry and the ProPublica report’s claims, without emphasizing the later institutional outcome. ProPublica also states that Navatek CEO Martin Kao was arrested for campaign finance violations and later told federal agents that bribery was central to Navatek’s business model, while officials’ offices deny the allegations.
