GOP Rep. Chris Collins Resigns Before Expected Guilty Plea

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By Anissa Gardizy

New York GOP Rep. Chris Collins resigned ahead of an expected guilty plea today in Manhattan.

Collins sent his resignation letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday.

The Republican from western New York is accused of leaking confidential information on a biopharmaceutical company which he was the largest investor and a member of the board of directors. Authorities say Collins leaked the information to his son and the father of his son’s fiancée, helping them avoid losing hundreds of thousands of dollars because of a failed drug trial.

Collins was indicted in Aug. 2018, but he did not resign from office—he later won reelection by one point in his Republican district. The 69-year-old congressman was the first House Republican to back Donald Trump in 2016.

His son and the father of his son’s fiancée are expected to plead guilty this week.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo could hold a special election to fill Collins’ seat or wait until regular elections are held in Nov. 2020.