It took Rep. Chris Collins little time to turn news of a House Ethics Committee investigation into his financial dealings, and his continued involvement with the biotech firm at the center of the investigation, into a fundraising opportunity.
This morning, the Buffalo News reported that Collins has been re-elected to the board of Innate Immunotherapeutic and within hours Collins delivered a fundraising email to his supporters (and others on the list, including news media) into a request for a $12 donation (the price, he said, of a month's digital subscription to the Buffalo News) to his reelection campaign.
He didn't explicitly ask people to drop their subscriptions to the online version of the newspaper.
"Join us today and tell them we won't stand for their fake news," Collins wrote.
Controversy about Innate Immunotherapeutic and Collins involvement with the company have been swirling around the Congressman for months, including allegations that he bragged about making a lot of people in Buffalo rich on stock deals with the company, accusations that he steered other members of Congress to the stock, and speculation about whether he used his position in Congress to help pass key legislation that could have helped the firm.
When a clinical trial for drug developed by Innate showed negative results, the stock price plummeted and Collins reportedly suffered a paper loss of $17 million.
News broke two days ago that the House Ethics Committee was opening a probe into the stock deals. The Buffalo News followed up this morning with stories about the congressman's reelection to Innate's board and a story yesterday taking a closer look at what the probe means.
The term "fake news" grew out of a trend during the presidential campaign of completely fictional stories getting repeatedly passed around social media, no matter how outlandish and clearly false the stories were. The stories were generated by websites created with the sole purpose of making up fictitious stories in order to drive clicks and then generate revenue from ad networks.
President Donald Trump adopted the term to attack the legitimate media's truthful and generally accurate reporting of his administration.
This isn't the first time Collins has referred to the Buffalo News, also a legitimate news outlet, with the false claim of publishing "fake news." Collins has offered no factual refutation of any reporting by the Buffalo News or other news outlets' reporting on the Innate dealings and ethical probe.
Collins’ Spokeswoman Sarah Minkel has told news outlets that the ethics announcement had been expected and denied Collins had engaged in any wrongdoing.
“Congressman Collins has followed all ethical and legal guidelines when it comes to his personal investments and he looks forward to their review," Minkel said.
I've read the Buffalo News
I've read the Buffalo News for years. When did they become fake news?
If the BN isn't 'Fake News'
If the BN isn't 'Fake News' it sure is biased, left-leaning, typical Main Scream Media. Accurate, unbiased, nonpartisan news reporting in the US is dead.
However this is a good report... I hope everyone who pays any attention to this story reads the several links included, to get the full picture of the game that Collins was playing with his purchases of Innate Immunotherapeutic, and his involvement in crafting the 21st Century Cures Act, that would hugely benefit Innate Immunotherapeutic, and was signed into law by Obama [pre-Trump]. I'm strongly inclined to think that the FDA rejected Innate's MS drug to divert pressure off the Congressional ethics investigation. [the ethics investigation was announced before the FDA rejection and subsequent large stock loss].
Just because the Buffalo News
Just because the Buffalo News reporting on one story or topic doesn't agree with your point of view, doesn't necessarily mean their reporting is biased or partisan.
The fact is that Collins WAS playing games with the company (Innate Immunotherapeutic) that he's a majority stockholder in. He openly sought investments from his congressional buddies, most notably current HHS sec Price and others.
In addition to being unethical, these actions may very well be violations of the STOCK act.
If so, I do hope that Collins is punished to the fill extent the law allows.
As regards the FDA's action in rejecting the MS drug by the company....couldn't it also be because the drug simply didn't perform as advertised?
In my opinion, Collins is a slug who has worn out his welcome....just as he did after 4 years as Erie county exec.
I remember reading the
I remember reading the Buffalo News the day after Billy Klintons Assault Weapon Ban passed in 94 where they were cheering and rubbing it in our faces !! Buf-news is a Totally leftist news rag useful as cat pan liner ! Thank God for Chris Collens and His Second Amendment Po active stand --I hope he wins at all he does !
Good report. Chris Collins
Good report. Chris Collins knows nothing about decent Ethics. The facts are really quite easy to digest on this one. Sadly, there are folks like Randy who instead of seeing Collins as wrong for his dealings with Innate somehow can actually talk about the Clintons and the Second Amendment. Hey Randy, 2 + 3 does not equal lemons. Try to put your guns down and stay focused for a minute.
All the MSM is biased... even
All the MSM is biased... even local sources like BN, DC, BDN... even FOX [which is transitioning from Red to Blue]. While "all reporters are journalists, and not all journalists are reporters" all have opinions that inevitably skew their observation. Fair and Balanced is illusory. Just don't try and convince the populace of such reality.
"To argue with a man who has renounced the use and authority of reason, and whose philosophy consists in holding humanity in contempt, is like administering medicine to the dead, or endeavoring to convert an atheist by scripture." - Thomas Paine
Sounds like someone needs a
Sounds like someone needs a tin foil hat.
Dave. And, don't forget to
Dave. And, don't forget to keep your loved ones safe, too!
http://lynncinnamon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/tinfoilhat.jpg