Republican charged with insider trading looks to skip court proceeding
MANHATTAN _ Chris Collins seems more worried about next month's election than his pending insider-trading trial.
The Republican congressman from western New York is looking to skip an Oct. 11 pre-trial conference in Manhattan, just weeks before the Nov. 6 vote, as his legal troubles show a tightening race in the heavily Republican district that incorporates the Buffalo suburbs. The Crystal Ball political website has moved the contest from "Likely R" to "Leans R," as has FiveThirtyEight.
The third-term representative was a heavy favorite for re-election before he was charged. He initially suspended his campaign, then changed his mind and opted to stay in the race. His opponent, a Democratic town supervisor in Grand Island, N.Y., has been trying to get Collins to debate _ even on the Manhattan courthouse's steps, if necessary.
"I'll meet you there October 11, the date of your hearing so it's easier for you," Nate McMurray said in a Sept. 30 tweet. "Right there, on the courthouse steps, let's debate. It will be hard for the local media, but we'll figure it out. Let's go!"
_Bloomberg News
