Stefanik backpedals on canceled event
Eight indicted for assaulting journalists on Jan. 6
The Front Page
Morning update
Thursday, August 25, 2021
By Ken Tingley
The Daily Beast headlined Rep. Elise Stefanik’s latest move this way: “Newest House GOP star teams up with nutty MAGA conspiracy theorist.”
This the company that our congresswoman is keeping these days.
The Daily Beast went on to describe Scott Presler as someone who has a long history of extremist activity, including efforts to overturn President Biden’s election. Of course, so did Rep. Stefanik.
It makes you wonder what Rep. Stefanik is hoping to accomplish with stunts such as this and what does it say about her own viewpoints for the people she represents in the North Country.
The Wilton event scheduled for Wednesday was abruptly canceled because a staffer for one of the organizations hosting the event tested positive for COVID-19. That’s a head scratcher, since it is hard to imagine any part of the local community where someone has not been exposed to COVID-19.
But Rep. Stefanik doesn’t seem to be saying much about that.
Maybe it had something to do with a counter protest in Congress Park being scheduled the same day.
Or maybe it was a bad look for local Republicans that had Stefanik backpedaling furiously.
It was originally reported that Stefanik would take part in the event.
In fact, she was almost giddy in announcing the event on Twitter on August 18: “Amercian Patriot @ScottPresler will be joining #TeamElise & the @SaratogaGOP for a rally & voter registration drive!
“Thank you Scott for all of your hard work to #SaveAmericata @Risepacny
“Everyone is excited to meet you! #NY21”’
Except perhaps Stefanik. Her spokesman Alex DeGrasse told The Post-Star whe was never going to attend the rally.
The event was sponsored by Elise for Congress, but DeGrasse claimed that the “Team Elise” mentioned in social media posts referred to her donors and supporters. Apparently, Elise isn’t actually on “Team Elise.”
The tweet from August 18 also appeared to have been removed from Stefanik’s Twitter feed.
Simpson, Stec silent
New York got a new governor this week in Kathy Hochul.
Michael Goot wrote a reaction story for The Post-Star with both Assemblywoman Carrier Werner and state Senator and Daphne Jordan weighing in with good wishes for the new governor.
But Sen. Dan Stec and Assemblyman Scott Simpson did not return a call to Goot. We’re they trying to send a message to the new governor, where they trying to show how tough they were to other Republicans or did they just forget to charge their phone that day.
If we ever want to solve the political divisions in our country political leaders have to be part of the solution and stop playing game. The next time a reporter calls with a question, they should answer it.
They represent their constituents.
Journalists attacked
It took nearly eight months, but apparently eight people have been arrested for their actions in attacking journalists during the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
Poynter reported Wednesday that at an Oklahoma man was arrested for physically assaulting a credentialed photographer for The Associated Press.
At least two videos show the photographer being confronted by the accused and others, “grabbed the photographer and pushed him, then shoved and dragged him.” He was then pulled down stairs by two unidentified assailants before being backed up against a low stone wall and being thrown over the wall onto the west lawn of the U.S, Capitol.
What was the photographer doing?
His job.
Story in Post-Star
A gracious thank you to Post-Star reporter Gretta Hochsprung for doing such a thorough job on the story on my first book. I’m thrilled that the book is available to the public as a history of some of the great stories of this community.
It is available from Something or Other Publishing and Amazon.com.
If Stefanik can find a reason to "back pedal," then maybe its's time for her media supporters, including the Glens Falls Chronicle, to "back pedal" and disavow her now that she has exposed her true, unamerican colors.
I think it’s a tragedy that Elise is in office.