Rep. Chris Collins acknowledged that he has no evidence to support President Donald Trump’s claim that 3 to 5 million people voted illegally in the election, but refrained from contradicting the President and said he would support an investigation.
“That’s his opinion,” Collins, R-New York, told CNN’s Chris Cuomo on “New Day” Wednesday. “There are illegal votes cast and if we can tighten down, we should do it.”
His comments came shortly after the President tweeted that he will be asking for a major investigation into voter fraud in the 2016 election. Trump has repeatedly claimed that illegal votes cost him the popular vote, but has not provided any evidence to support his statement.
Cuomo pushed Collins for further details, asking how he could get behind such an investigation.
“My money, your money, is going to go to an investigation on something (for which) we don’t have a shred of proof,” Cuomo said. “And now we’re going to waste our money taking a look at something because it someone’s bruised ego? Is that what this is about?”
Collins said his concern is with down-ballot elections, because illegal votes could sway elections for local officials. Cuomo agreed, but said that Trump is not talking about that — he’s talking about himself.
“When an illegal vote is cast for president, that illegal vote is also cast for a city councilman,” Collins replied. “The President is entitled to his opinion and I’d like to get rid of all of the illegal voters.”