New York congresscritter and corrupt inside trader Rep. Chris Collins, who was the first Congressman to back fellow crook Donald "Rump" Trump, announced this morning that he was suspending his re-election campaign, and seeking to remove his name from the November ballot. Collins, who was charged on August 8 with insider trading on a company's stock that he dumped before information could leak out about the company's failed product, had aggressively promised to fight the charges against him. The U.S. Attorney's office for the Southern District of New York brought the charges against Collins, and is considered the premier office for financial crimes and fraud, so the case against him has to be open and shut.
Collins represents another deep red district, but one that is now somewhat more competitive with Dem Nate McMurray facing an undesignated Rethuglican opponent, who will have to raise money to defend the seat with 87 days left before the election.
BONUS: Charles Pierce has the right take on Collins.
Chris Collins suspends campaign in order to spend more time with his lawyers.— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) August 11, 2018
(photo: Collins' perp walk. Mary Altaffor/AP)
