Barbara-Rose Collins

Barbara-Rose Collins
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 13th and 15th district
In office January 3, 1991 – January 3, 1997
Preceded by	George W. Crockett, Jr.
Succeeded by	Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick
Personal details
Political party	Democratic

Barbara-Rose Collins (born April 13, 1939) is a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.

Collins was born in Detroit, Michigan, graduated from the public schools there and attended Wayne State University. She was a member of the Detroit Region I public school board, 1971–1973; a member of the Michigan State House of Representatives, from the 21st District, 1975–1981; and a member of the Detroit City Council, 1982–1991.

In 1988, she lost a primary election to the incumbent U.S. Representative for Michigan's 13th congressional district, George W. Crockett, Jr.. Crockett did not run in the 1990 election and Collins was elected as a Democrat from Michigan's 13th District to the United States House of Representatives for the 102nd and to the two succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1991 to January 3, 1997. After redistricting due to the 1990 census, Collins represented Michigan's 15th District in the 103rd and 104th Congresses. Controversy unsettled her tenure in Congress, which ultimately caused her to lose her seat.

The U.S. Justice Department and the House Ethics Committee investigated allegations that she had misused her office, campaign and scholarship funds. She also caused considerable controversy after she fired a homosexual aide because she was afraid that he might carry AIDS . The aide filed a grievance, and won back pay and reimbursement of legal expenses from Collins. As a result, in 1996, Collins lost in the primary election to an old friend, Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, who was subsequently elected to the seat in Congress.

Collins was again elected to the Detroit city council in 2001 and 2005. Her current term expires in 2009.

References

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• The Political Graveyard