Update: January 24, 2023 Elise Stefanik under fire from donors for suckering them in with George Santos endorsement
Elise Stefanik has yet to comment on her unquestioning support for serial lier, George Santos which comes as no surmise given that she has yet to comment on Donald Trump’s call to terminate the U.S. Constitution and reinstate him as president. — wfw
Peter Wilson (Lake Clear, NY) letter to the editor was published in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise on January 20, 2023.
An open letter to Rep. Elise Stefanik.
As the new Congress — and its close-to-even split between Republicans and Democrats — gets to work, New York state has had the dubious distinction of attracting attention, not for any great acts of statesmanship, but for the gall exhibited by a man (from downstate) who won his election having spewed lie, after lie, after lie, and on and on.
For New York’s Republican Party, one might call the victory part of the “Red-Faced Wave.” They stepped up last week, admitted they’d done a terrible job of fact-checking (lie-checking?) and called on Rep.* Santos (or whatever name he goes by) to resign.
But what of the House of Representatives’ highest-ranking New Yorker, our own 21st Congressional District’s Rep. Elise Stefanik, the Republican caucus chairperson? She campaigned hard for Mr. Santos during her all-out push for the 2022 — disappointing — Red Wave. She even lent the candidate the expertise of her top political aides, but has she stepped up to publicly insist he bow out with whatever shred of grace he might maintain? No.
Most recently, we have learned that Congressperson* Santos wasn’t as expert, as news consumers might have assumed, at covering his tracks and preventing the voting public from uncovering his shams and scams. Some of his own staff, several deep-pocket donors, even some members of the New York GOP establishment expressed grave concerns long before he was chosen to be the candidate. How could it be that the Leader Number Three in the House GOP, and such a powerful campaign voice on Santos’ behalf, was utterly fooled?
I respectfully request that Congresswoman Stefanik do something other than sweep this issue under the rug. You, Rep. Stefanik, have done your best to avoid commenting, leaving me (and probably at least a few others constituents) wondering whether you were either, one, an unwitting victim, or two, fully aware and thus part of Santos’ scam, turning a blind-eye, sacrificing integrity (yours, and that of the GOP, the state and Congress) in the interest of winning at any cost. If your answer is Number One, shame on you for your lack of due diligence; if it’s Number Two, shame on you for your brazen greed for political power.
Representative Stefanik, admit that the GOP shot itself in the foot in the case of Rep.* Santos. You helped foist him upon the people of your state, you should be part of ushering him out – sooner rather than later, before any more deceptions (as entertaining as they can be) are uncovered, any more “shoes drop.”
(* Like sports statistics that reflect special circumstances, this Long Island Congressman holds his title under a shadow of controversy, shame, and dishonesty. His name should henceforth be marked with an asterisk.) ####
Related:
For What It's Worth 