Stefanik enthusiastically defends sexual assault
Rockwell Falls Library continues to move forward, but still had to call police
Vaughn Hillyard, an NBC news correspondent, believed it was an important question to ask Elise Stefanik.
So did I.
Stefanik, our congressional representative here in the North Country and a possible running mate for Trump, was campaigning for him in Concord, N.H. this past weekend.
In New York City, a jury was debating how much money to award E. Jean Carroll for being sexually abused by Donald Trump. Another jury had already found Trump guilty of the charges in the civil case and was now reviewing further defamation damages for Trump’s continued attacks on the 80-year-old woman.
That is the most important part to remember.
Unlike the accusations of some 18 other women over the years, these charges were brought to a court of law where a jury of 12 men and women found Trump responsible for sexual assault in a civil suit.
Similar charges have upended the careers of prominent personalities in Hollywood, the media and politics, but there seems to be another standard for Donald Trump.
Too many have looked the other way over these sexual assault charges.
Too many have dismissed the charges outright as being nothing more than dirty politics.
It is important to ask ourselves if this is the type of behavior we find acceptable at any level of society.
Is this behavior something we can continue to overlook?
It appears that our congresswoman already has.
Hillyard was direct with her.
“How do you grapple with standing by his (Trump’s) side while a jury is debating how much to award E. Jean Carroll for being sexually abused by Donald Trump?” Hillyard asked Stefanik.
It was a question I have not seen asked before.
No president has ever been held liable for sexual assault before.
None.
It is unprecedented.
Elise Stefanik, who has downplayed sexual assaults in the military previously, not only defended Trump’s sexual assault, she did it enthusiastically.
“These are witch-hunts against President Trump!” Stefanik shot back in her rapid-fire cadence she uses so no one else can get in a word. “The media is so biased. This is just another example of the media being — out of touch.”
But Hillyard, an experienced political reporter, leaped into a clarification before Stefanik could get out the words “out of touch.”
“It’s not the media,” Hillyard responded, “it’s the jury that found he sexually abused E. Jean. Why not believe E. Jean Carroll?”
In the background, one of Stefanik’s aides could be heard saying “Next question, next question” before Stefanik responded.
“Again, again. The media is so out of touch with the American people,” Stefanik said while using the world “witch-hunt” at least four times. “Like in 2016, you are going to see the American people speak out loudly and clearly with their vote.”
Frankly, it’s something I’m counting on because I believe most of us have a sense of morality, a moral compass we use in life and will eventually reject Trump for those reasons.
But not our elected representative Elise Stefanik.
She believes this was the media’s fault for reporting the facts from a court proceeding.
It’s time for people in the North Country to ask whether they can support a congresswoman who believes sexual assault is acceptable.
When asked about the exchange the next day, Hillyard said, “I had to ask Elise Stefanik who was there on Trump’s behalf about the trial, because a jury is currently debating what to award her for — you know, the judge has already found him liable for sexually abusing her. And she’s (Stefanik) coming out here on the campaign trail at an important time, four days before the New Hampshire primary. And she ultimately told me that she did not believe E. Jean Carroll.”
Imagine that.
Stefanik believes she knows better than a jury which heard the evidence and testimony in a courtroom.
It is not acceptable to undercut a legal system we depend on.
Over the past two weeks, we have gotten a stark reminder about the role the legal system plays locally during the Kevin Monahan murder trial in Washington County. It was a reminder about the faith we put in our legal system to provide justice.
There cannot be exceptions for politicians.
There cannot be an excuse that there are different standards for those running for office.
We can’t believe one court is corrupt and another is not. That argument makes no sense. That media bias is to blame makes even less sense.
Elise Stefanik is content to ignore the past transgressions of Donald Trump.
To ignore the accusations of all these women.
At some point, Trump’s transgressions eventually become the transgressions of those enabling his continue relevance.
Supporters like Elise Stefanik.
Over the weekend, she also released a statement that the work of the January 6 Committee was “Illegitimate and unconstitutional.”
She said the report of the January 6th Committee was a travesty.
Read the report and you will find otherwise.
Review evidence.
Or just call up your own memories from that day.
It happened and many have gone to jail because of their actions. Remember, Elise Stefanik called those convicted “hostages” just a week ago, further indicting the legal system we depend upon.
In response, her former Republican colleague Liz Cheney called her “a total crackpot.”
This is the reputation of the woman representing us in Congress.
This is the woman we have put our faith in to represent us.
“One day she will have to explain how and why she morphed into a total crackpot,” Cheney said. “History, and our children, deserve to know.”
So do her constituents.
She needs to know that now.
We should not be represented by “a total crackpot.”
We must do better.
Library update
I email Ted Mirczak, one of the new board members at the Rockwell Falls Public Library, for an update on how things were going this week.
He responded that the second meeting was “quite normal” and the board continues with its top priority of opening the library as soon as possible. He also said they hope to announce the hiring of a new manager soon.
But there was one glitch.
A person who had previously been banned from the library showed up at the meeting and was asked to leave by three of the trustees. When he refused, the police were called. When they arrived 20 minutes later, they told him he could leave willingly or be arrested. The man then left.
Writer’s event
I’m especially looking forward to Monday’s speaking engagement at SUNY Adirondack.
Kathleen McCoy, an English professor at the college, asked me to speak about writing last fall. As much as I love to talk about my days at the newspaper and the many columns I have written over the years, there is nothing I enjoy more than delving into the process of writing.
The Writer’s Project series is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Monday at Dearlove Hall Room 206. It is open to the public. I hope to see you there.
Great event in Moreau
Had a great event at the Moreau Community Center with a great audience to hear about the stories in my latest book “The Last American Editor, Vol. 2.”
Thanks again to Cheryl Lawyer at the community center for inviting me and being a great host.
Another event is coming up at the Glens Falls Senior Center on Feb. 8.
Thanks again Ken for calling out our Rep. Stefanik inexplicable defense of Trump. In addition to being in denial that it was a jury that found Trump guilty of sexual assault, let's not forget that she has ignored the verdicts in some 60 lawsuits challenging the validity of the 2020 election results. Many of the judges in these cases were Trump appointees. Yet almost a third of Americans believe there was widespread election fraud. That's because elected officials, like Rep. Stefanik, continue to spread lies about the election results. I can go on, but space is limited. Your 100% right, we deserve better.
Name calling doesn't help. Rather, it strengthens the resolve of Ms. Stefanik's supporters and by extension, Trump. What's surprising is that a person with a degree in Government from Harvard can go along with Republican goal to destroy our Government. It's safe to say she is an amoral politician with utterly no values clawing her way to the top. (Doesn't say much for Harvard either.)