Representative Chris Collins, a fourth-term Republican from Western New York who narrowly won re-election last year despite fighting federal securities fraud charges, is expected to plead guilty on Tuesday, a new court filing shows.
Mr. Collins, 69, one of President Trump’s earliest and most fervent supporters, had been accused of using private information about a drug company in which he was invested to help his son and others avoid financial losses.
Mr. Collins was to be tried in February along with his son, Cameron Collins, 26, and a third man, all of whom had pleaded not guilty. A document filed in Federal District Court in Manhattan on Monday said there would be a “change of plea” hearing on Tuesday for all three men, although the filing did not indicate what charges the men would be pleading guilty to.
All three men were facing charges of conspiracy, securities and wire fraud and making false statements.
There is no law that requires members of Congress to give up their seats when convicted of a felony, though House rules dictate that the member not vote after their convictions. Mr. Collins has not said whether he will seek another term, though he transferred $500,000 of his own money into his campaign fund in June.
A spokeswoman for Mr. Collins did not immediately return a request for comment on his election plans, nor did lawyers for him and his son. The United States attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York declined to comment.
