WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – North country congresswoman Elise Stefanik has no regrets about her actions this time last year.
Thursday marked the first anniversary of January 6, 2021, when supporters of then-President Donald Trump rioted at the Capitol, with some of them trying to stop congress from certifying the results of the presidential election.
After the riots were quelled that day and members of congress returned to the Capitol, Stefanik was among the Republicans who continued to object to the outcome of the election.
And in a statement Wednesday, Stefanik said “I stand by my objection to the electors of certain states based on the unconstitutional overreach by unelected state officials and judges ignoring state election laws.”
(Stefanik declined a request for an interview.)
While Stefanik also continues to condemn the violence of the day, she does not address the people behind it – supporters of President Trump – or why it happened.
Instead, she faults the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.
““It is unacceptable that one year later the American people still do not have answers as to why the Capitol was left so vulnerable and how to ensure it never happens again,” Stefanik said in her statement.
“I think she’s complicit in fostering the ‘big lie’” that the election was stolen, said Jack McGuire, Associate Professor of Political Science at SUNY Potsdam.
Starting in 2018, Stefanik closely allied herself with Trump, and has continued to praise him and call him a leader of the Republican Party.
She has generally avoided making outright claims the 2020 election between Trump and Joe Biden was stolen, instead arguing there were problems in how the election was conducted in several key states – Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
Challenges to the election outcome were rejected over and over again – by the courts in some cases, by elections officials – including Republicans – in others.
McGuire, of SUNY Potsdam, says Stefanik is speaking to her supporters in the north country, and her backers among far right Republicans in congress.
“She recognizes her district is what it is, and she has a lot of support from people who have very strong partisan attachments to the Republican party,” he said. “And she doesn’t want to lose that support.”
Read Stefanik’s statement here:
“On January 6, 2021, I strongly and clearly condemned the violence and destruction that occurred at the U.S. Capitol – just as I strongly condemned the entire year of violence and lawlessness that raged across our nation throughout 2020. Our nation owes a debt of gratitude to the U.S. Capitol Police for their bravery and heroism on that day and to those who sacrifice and serve in law enforcement every day across the country.
“It is unacceptable that one year later the American people still do not have answers as to why the Capitol was left so vulnerable and how to ensure it never happens again.
“Rather than focusing on improving the security of the Capitol and adopting all the recommendations from the U.S. Capitol Police, Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats are instead using their illegitimate partisan sham of a committee to shred Constitutional precedent and punish their political opponents. It is unprecedented, and it is dangerous.
“The American people deserve to know that the ONLY office that is off limits to this investigation is the Speaker’s office. The Speaker of the House oversees the Sergeant at Arms who, at her direction, has refused to turn over documents and communications related to January 6th. The fact is that Nancy Pelosi bears responsibility as Speaker of the House for leaving the Capitol so vulnerable despite multiple warnings and requests, and now she is responsible for the cover-up of that fact.
“As I stated on the House Floor as the Representative for New York’s 21st Congressional District, I believe that the most precious foundation and the most sacred covenant of our Republic is the right to vote and the faith in the security of our nation’s free and fair elections. I swore an oath to protect and defend the U.S. Constitution, and I stand by my objection to the electors of certain states based on the unconstitutional overreach by unelected state officials and judges ignoring state election laws. I am committed to working to strengthen our elections and rebuild that faith, so that our elections are free, fair, secure, safe, and most importantly, that they are according to the United States Constitution.”
Copyright 2022 WWNY. All rights reserved.
