If this is what Stefanik really believes, we are all in trouble
Tournament snub by state official is something that should appall all of us
If it wasn’t understood before, it became abundantly clear this week that Rep. Elise Stefanik’s priorities are 100 percent self-serving and political.
She does not believe in solving the immigration problem, getting aid to Israel and Ukraine, and worst of all, she does not believe in the rule of law, especially when it comes to Donald Trump’s legal problems.
When the U.S. Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia dismissed Donald Trump’s claim that he was above the law this week, and that he had absolute immunity from prosecution, Rep. Stefanik called the ruling “unconstitutional” and a “dangerous precedent” on social media.
She released a statement in which she said presidents must have “immunity” - making breaking the law legal - for the country to function properly.
For those of us who are not lawyers, that logic is hard to follow and seems essentiall un-American.
After the ruling, 60 House Republicans, including Stefanik, co-sponsored a resolution denying Trump had engaged in insurrection to overturn the 2020 election, despite what we all saw on January 6 and know about Trump’s inaction that day.
Michael Fanone, a District of Columbia police officer who was badly hurt on January 6, said the resolution was “a slap in the face to those of us who almost lost everything defending the Capitol on January 6th.”
What made it worse was was that defense came from the members of Congress the Capitol police were trying to save.
“But no piece of paper signed by a group of spineless extremists will ever change the facts about that dark day,” Fanone stated. “The insurrection was violent, it was deadly and it will happen again if we do not expunge the MAGA ideology that stoked the flames of insurrection in the first place.”
As Rep. Matt Gaetz stood at the podium to endorse the resolution, Rep. Elise Stefanik was standing right next to him.
Smiling.
She later posted on social media, “I am honored to stand as an original cosponsor on @RepMattGaetz's resolution that President Donald Trump did not engage in insurrection or rebellion against the United States. That is a fact.”
She did not address Michale Fanone’s experience that day.
For months, Rep. Stefanik has been screaming about the immigration crisis, not only at the southern border, but at the northern border as well.
She blamed the southern border crisis on President Joe Biden and the northern border problems on New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.
“Joe Biden and his failed Far Left open border policies are responsible for this crisis,” Stefanik wrote on social media Wednesday.
So Sen. James Langford, a Republican from Oklahoma, stepped into the fray and negotiated a deal that got Republicans everything they wanted to fix the southern border.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said any agreement in the Senate was “dead on arrival” in the House.
Heather Cox Richardson reported this week that Lankford was told by a right-wing media personality, “If you try to move a bill that solves the border crisis during this presidential year, I will do whatever I can to destroy you, because I do not want you to solve this during the presidential election.”
That’s what this is all about - politics - and being in power.
This is Elise Stefanik’s America.
This is the new civil war.
And there is more.
Earlier this year, we heard repeatedly from Stefanik about the corruption of the “Biden crime family.” She promised he would be impeached.
No scandal was discovered.
So Stefanik and her cronies in the House went after the Homeland Security Secretary for “high crimes and misdemeanors.”
Not for corruption, but for border policy.
Before the vote to impeach, Stefanik wrote on social media, “Today I’m voting to impeach Mayorkas.”
That vote failed by two votes when four Republicans voted against the measure and one Democratic congressman made a surprise appearance after being in the hospital.
It is all quite exhausting.
I don’t know how Rep. Stefanik keeps a straight face with some of the things she says.
Finally, there is this that Stefanik wrote on X:
“I will always deliver for #NY21, which is why I am pleased to announce that following my advocacy on behalf of the application from @PaulSmiths to the Northern Border Regional Commission, the college will be receiving $1 million for essential infrastructure enhancements.”
Except, this grant came from the Northern Border Regional Commission and the funding was supported by the Forest Economy Program which gets its funding from congressional delegations in Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont.
Stefanik’s role in getting the money for new pipes is not only suspect, but was backed by Gov. Kathy Hochul to support “essential wastewater infrastructure improvements on (PSC’s) rural campus.”
What might be more ironic is that Paul Smith’s College houses one of the country’s premier forestry programs and attracts students with environmental interests.
“Climate change is one of the dominant forces shaping the rest of our lives, and Paul Smith’s is one of region’s and perhaps only institution of higher learning that is so uniquely positioned to offer an hands-on, experiential education to the next generation of young people interested in helping the environment and conserving natural resources,” PSC sociology professor Joe Henderson said in a statement published by the Adirondack Daily Enterprise.
For some reason, Rep. Stefanik did not take credit for that.
“Receiving this award from the NBRC is a testament to Paul Smith’s College’s pivotal role in advancing sustainable practices and contributing to the vitality of the forest economy in New York State,” Paul Smiths President Dan Kelting said in a statement. “This funding will empower us to enhance essential college infrastructure, reinforcing our commitment to both environmental stewardship and the growth of forestry-related industries in the region.”
Considering that, Stefanik should be applauded for endorsing green initiatives in her home district.
Sign of the times
I had a little time between appointments on Tuesday, so I took a stroll from the Chapman Museum down to SPoT Coffee in downtown Glens Falls.
On my way back, I noticed that Glens Falls National Bank had a new sign on the corner of Glen and South streets.
That sign has been a staple of downtown for years. While the sign showed the time and temperature, what I liked most was that it told you exactly where you were: “Glens Falls, NY” and underneath that it said “Hometown, USA.”
It may be the only sign in town that says that.
The sign has been there as long as I can remember, so maybe it just got old. The new sign has one of those electronic message boards that also gives you the time and temperature, but the “Hometown, USA” reference is gone.
Instead, it reads “Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Company” and in smaller lettering underneath “Part of the Arrow Family of Companies.” I wish they had included some reference of “Hometown, USA” instead of the typical corporate branding.
Zayas strikes again
For the second time, Glens Falls had a successful bid to host the New York State basketball tournament taken away by Robert Zayas, the executive director of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association.
The state basketball committee voted in October for Glens Falls to host the tourney for another three years. But Zayas announced last month that the Binghamton bid was more lucrative - about $20,000 better - and recommended the executive committee accept that bid.
Chip Corlew, who heads the tournament committee in Glens Falls, insisted Zayas was not interpreting the bid correctly. He said the Binghamton bid was not more lucrative.
Zayas ignored Corlew and Glens Falls’ claims of foul and the executive committee awarded the bid to Binghamton.
The loss is a big economic hit for the region at a time of the year where there are not many visitors. But it is also a loss for all the families and teams who participate. The state basketball tournament has been in Glens Falls for all but five years in the past half-century.
It is part of the city’s identity.
It is part of the tournament’s identity.
They are intertwined.
For 35 years I had a front row seat to the tournament. I don’t think I have ever heard a disparaging word about how the tournament was run or about the trip to Glens Falls from some of the farther reaches of the state.
The atmosphere here is like non other.
This is the second time that Zayas has overruled the state basketball tournament committee from around the state.
It isn’t right.
Oscar time
If you have read my columns for any length of time, you know I’m a movie buff extraordinaire.
For the past several years, I have used multiple streaming services in an attempt to watch all the Oscar-nominated films.
My favorite category is always documentary films.
Earlier this week I watched “20 days in Mariupol,” a documentary shot by Associated Press journalists covering the early days of the Ukraine war when Mariupol was under siege. You may remember the horrifying images of mass graves and a maternity ward that was struck by missiles.
While war is always horrifying, these images were an especially grim reminder.
I urge you to rent the documentary - it was just $1.49 - as a reminder of what is still happening overseas.
It seems especially ironic that Republicans in Congress continue to hold Ukraine up for ransom even after having all their demands met regarding the crisis at the southern border.
Every member of Congress should watch “20 days in Mariupol.”
Armao podcast
If you are a fan of the WAMC Roundtable, you might be interested in checking out Rosemary Armao’s podcast.
Here is a link to her podcast where I was a recent guest.
Rosemary always has something to say even though she is no longer on the roundtable.
JG3 highlight
Over the past the past five years of his college basketball career , Glens Falls’ Joseph Girard III has had many highs and lows, but Clemson’s upset of third-ranked North Carolina had to be one of his highlights.
Not only did Girard score 21 points, but the shots were difficult and his final 3-pointer with just over two minutes to play was key. The win may have also put Clemson back on track for a possible NCAA Tournament bid.
Going paid
We’ve been especially humbled by the number of people who have voluntarily decided to pay for The Front Page even though it is still for free.
What has been even more satisfying is that the number of free subscribers has also been increasing.
Stefaniks social media yesterday read she will always protect women and girls....it was a message about sports.
Thinly veiled transphobia along with the blatant lie that she cares about women.
She cares so much she supports a madman convicted of sexual assault against women, ya know, those of us she swears to *protect*. I'd prefer to go it alone without her *protection*.
She is anti choice, doesn't believe in Planned Parenthood as a Healthcare facility and consistently upholds antiquated ideas against my rights as a woman.
I call her DC office frequently- I'm most likely on some watch list. I express my concerns in no uncertain terms.....I realize I'm not accomplishing anything but I find I need to be on record - out loud - pushing back.
I've literally asked why she supports violence against women and now I ask why she supports sexual assault against us by supporting someone found GUILTY of sexual assault. I throw it back at them that by sitting in her office they are condoning assault against their sisters, mothers etc.
Sometimes I hope I can reach just one young person. I ask them why they work for a lying insurrectionist.
Of course there's never an answer to that.
The one thing we can always count on is MAGA folks accusing others of exactly what they are doing themselves. There should be billboards on the Northway and 787 showing Stefanik crouching in the aisle under seats hiding from the insurrectionists why? Searching for dust bunnies under the seats? And another with her voting “ no” on the Border Bill and maybe other bills that she takes credit for now but voted against. As she accuses others of setting a “ dangerous precedent,” that is exactly what she is doing in plain sight.