Collins, a Big Money 20 incumbent, is expected to plead guilty to federal crimes
End Citizens United (ECU) President Tiffany Muller released the following statement in response to Rep. Chris Collins’ (NY-27) announcement to resign ahead of a Tuesday trial on Collins’ insider trader charges:
“Chris Collins is one of the most corrupt members of Congress, and his resignation today ahead of his expected guilty plea to insider trader charges proves that,” said End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller. “Chris Collins has consistently put corporate special interests and personal enrichment ahead of his constituents. Throughout his time in Washington, Collins has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars in special interest money and betrayed the trust of his constituents by helping to push through big tax breaks for pharmaceutical companies in which he’s personally invested. New York’s 27th Congressional District deserves better representation, and Chris Collins’ resignation is the first step to getting there.”
End Citizens United recently named Rep. Chris Collins to the Big Money 20. ECU aims to educate voters about the Big Money 20 – incumbents who represent the worst of Washington – and rally support for reforming the political system. The members of the Big Money 20 are incumbents who take money from corporate special interests, mega-donors, and industries like Big Pharma and Big Oil and then put those interests ahead of their constituents. Collins is the second Big Money 20 incumbent to announce his resignation from Congress after Rep. Will Hurd.
ECU has conducted extensive polling and research showing that voters across the political spectrum support getting big money out of politics. ECU is a traditional political action committee (PAC) with more than four million members, including 6,300 in New York’s 27th Congressional District. ECU raised $44 million in the 2018 midterm cycle and helped elect over 150 members to the 116th Congress, including two new U.S. Senators and 58 new U.S. Representatives. The reform group is entirely grassroots-funded with an average donation of just $14.
For a full list and additional background on the Big Money 20, click here.
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