WASHINGTON _ Rep. Chris Collins indirectly continued his feud with late colleague Louise Slaughter by declining to co-sponsor a bill that would rename a post office in New York after the congresswoman, who died in March.
Collins, a Republican, is the only member of the New York delegation not to co-sponsor the post office renaming bill.
Slaughter, a New York Democrat, played a significant role in sparking an investigation into Collins for insider trading that eventually resulted in an indictment.
Slaughter authored and often pushed for Congress to adopt the so-called STOCK Act to ban insider trading by federal officials, including members of Congress.
Collins pleaded not guilty earlier this year to multiple charges involving alleged insider trading tips he gave family members and friends about an Australian biotech company for which he was a board member and held significant stock.
In 2017, Slaughter called on the Office of Congressional Ethics to probe allegations of insider trading against Collins. The OCE independently reviews claims of misconduct _ criminal, ethical, and otherwise _ against House members and then decides whether to refer certain matters to the House Ethics Committee if they warrant deeper investigation.
In October of that year, Collins fired back at the congresswoman, calling her a "despicable human" and suggesting that members should not pursue ethics inquiries against one another.
"She's on a witch hunt, she's a despicable human," Collins said of Slaughter, Fox News reported. "You don't go after another member."
New York Rep. Joseph D. Morelle, along with two dozen other co-sponsors from the Empire State, introduced the bill Friday to rename the post office in Fairport, N.Y., after Slaughter and her husband.
"Louise Slaughter was a dear friend, a trailblazer, and a champion for families in Monroe County and across the nation," Morelle said in a statement. "Louise has left a lasting impact on our entire community, and we remain grateful to her and her husband for their immeasurable contributions to our society."
