Highlights:
AUDIO: December 2015: Stefanik Implicitly Criticized Trump’s Rhetoric, Claimed Trump Was “Disqualifying” Himself For Making Untruthful Statements. According to Stefanik on WAMC via SoundCloud, “STEFANIK: But certainly, you know, I think in the presidential field, there are some candidates who over the long run and they've already started this process, are somewhat disqualifying themselves with untruthful statements and not being willing to really talk about the substantive issues and just firing away rhetorical devices that don't necessarily have a basis in fact.” [Stefanik on WAMC via SoundCloud, 12/2/15]
January 2016: Stefanik On Trump And Cruz’s Presidential Campaigns: “I Don’t Think Either Of Those Candidates Will Be The Nominee.” According to the Glenn Falls Chronicle, “Congresswoman Elise Stefanik told The Chronicle Thursday that while Donald Trump and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz are the current front-runners for the Republican Presidential nod, ‘I don’t think either of those candidates will be the nominee.’ Ms. Stefanik would not discuss the basis of her prediction, nor would she endorse any of the candidates, but she did allow that the ‘New York delegation is not quite in step with Ted Cruz.’ She faulted Mr. Cruz’s attack on Mr. Trump’s ‘New York values.’” [Glenn Falls Chronicle, 1/28/16]
Stefanik Criticized Trump’s Rhetoric, Saying, “Unfortunately, It’s Tapping Into The Fear Today Of Our Security Situation.” According to CNN, “Stefanik also frequently criticized Trump’s rhetoric, saying in one January 2016 interview, ‘Unfortunately, it’s tapping into the fear today of our security situation.’ She added, ‘I think we should expect more substance out of our candidates.’” [CNN, 5/7/21]
Stefanik: “I Think We Should Expect More Substance Out Of Our Candidates.” According to CNN, “Stefanik also frequently criticized Trump’s rhetoric, saying in one January 2016 interview, ‘Unfortunately, it’s tapping into the fear today of our security situation.’ She added, ‘I think we should expect more substance out of our candidates.’” [CNN, 5/7/21]
Former Trump Campaign Leader Carl Paladino Referred To Stefanik As A “Fraud” And “RINO” For Not Endorsing Trump During The Primary. According to the Times Union, “Her not endorsing Trump in the primary season led former New York Republican gubernatorial candidate and Trump campaign leader Carl Paladino to blast Stefanik as a ‘fraud’ and ‘a RINO (Republican in Name Only) Washington elitist establishment sellout.’ He leveled an ultimately empty threat to find a primary challenger.” [Times Union, 5/5/16]
Stefanik Allegedly Told Friends She Planned To Vote For John Kasich In The 2016 Republican Primary. According to the New York Times, “Like many establishment Republicans, according to her former friends, she thought Mr. Trump was too awful and ridiculous to be taken seriously, then watched with alarm as his campaign soared. She refused to endorse anyone before the New York presidential primary that April, leading Mr. Paladino, her future ally, to denounce her as a ‘fraud’ and ‘Washington elitist establishment sellout.’ Around that time, she returned to Cambridge for an event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Institute of Politics. Afterward, she and a dozen of her old crowd gathered at a restaurant to catch up. Ms. Stefanik said she planned to vote for John Kasich in the primary and could not possibly vote for Mr. Trump in the general election, according to people who were there, and suggested she might write in someone else’s name if he became the nominee. (Her spokesman denied that account of the dinner.)” [New York Times, 12/31/22]
Stefanik Reportedly Told Her Friends She Could Not Vote For Trump In A General Election And Might, Instead, Write In Someone Else’s Name. According to the New York Times, “Like many establishment Republicans, according to her former friends, she thought Mr. Trump was too awful and ridiculous to be taken seriously, then watched with alarm as his campaign soared. She refused to endorse anyone before the New York presidential primary that April, leading Mr. Paladino, her future ally, to denounce her as a ‘fraud’ and ‘Washington elitist establishment sellout.’ Around that time, she returned to Cambridge for an event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Institute of Politics. Afterward, she and a dozen of her old crowd gathered at a restaurant to catch up. Ms. Stefanik said she planned to vote for John Kasich in the primary and could not possibly vote for Mr. Trump in the general election, according to people who were there, and suggested she might write in someone else’s name if he became the nominee. (Her spokesman denied that account of the dinner.)” [New York Times, 12/31/22]
Stefanik Said Trump’s Rhetoric About Women Was “Insulting” And Hurt The Republican Party’s Efforts To Expand To Women Voters. According to CNN, “Stefanik also said Trump’s ‘insulting’ rhetoric about women hurt the Republican Party’s efforts to expand its appeal to women voters. ‘I think he has been insulting to women,’ Stefanik said in another local radio interview in August 2015, referring to Trump’s misogynistic comments about then-Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly.” [CNN, 5/7/21]
Stefanik’s Comments Came After Trump Made Misogynistic Comments About Former Fox News Anchor Megyn Kelly. According to CNN, “Stefanik also said Trump’s ‘insulting’ rhetoric about women hurt the Republican Party’s efforts to expand its appeal to women voters. ‘I think he has been insulting to women,’ Stefanik said in another local radio interview in August 2015, referring to Trump’s misogynistic comments about then-Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly.” [CNN, 5/7/21]
Stefanik Emphasized That Trump’s Rhetoric Hurt The Republican Party’s Efforts To Reach Women Voters, Said “And Donald Trump’s Comments Have Not Helped That Effort. They’ve Hurt That Effort.” According to CNN, “‘We need to ensure that we’re increasing our party’s ability to reach out to women,’ she added. ‘And I work on that in Congress. I care passionately about that. And Donald Trump’s comments have not helped that effort. They’ve hurt that effort.’” [CNN, 5/7/21]
Stefanik Called Trump’s Access Hollywood Comments “Inappropriate” And “Offensive.” According to Mother Jones, “When the Access Hollywood video of Trump boasting of sexually assaulting women became public during the 2016 race, Stefanik criticized Trump, saying, ‘Donald Trump’s inappropriate, offensive comments are just wrong—no matter when he said them or whatever the context. I hope his apology is sincere.’” [Mother Jones, 5/11/21]
Trump Made Lewd Comments Towards Women In An Interview With Billy Bush Of Access Hollywood. According to the New York Times, “In the three-minute recording, which was obtained by The Washington Post, Mr. Trump recounts to the television personality Billy Bush of ‘Access Hollywood’ how he once pursued a married woman and ‘moved on her like a bitch, but I couldn’t get there,’ expressing regret that they did not have sex. But he brags of a special status with women: Because he was ‘a star,’ he says, he could ‘grab them by the pussy’ whenever he wanted.” [New York Times, 10/8/16]
Stefanik On Trump: “I Think There Is No Excuse To Be Attacking Gold Star Families.” According to the Post Star, “Stefanik also addressed the recent feud between the family of deceased Army Capt. Humayun Khan. Capt. Khan was killed while serving in Iraq in 2004, and his parents, Khzir and Ghazala, blasted Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump during the Democratic National Convention speech. Trump returned fire by criticizing both parents. Stefanik’s Democratic opponent, Mike Derrick, D-Peru, had repeatedly called on Stefanik to call out Trump. She issued a statement earlier this week saying she disagreed with his criticism. ‘I think there is no excuse to be attacking gold star families,’ she said. ‘Military families deserve our utmost respect.’” [Post Star, 8/5/16]
Trump Belittled The Parents Of Fallen Muslim U.S. Army Captain, Army Captain Humayun Khan, Who Spoke At The 2016 Democratic National Convention. According to ABC News, “In his first response to a searing charge at the Democratic National Convention from Khizr Khan, the father of a Muslim soldier killed in Iraq, that he ‘sacrificed nothing’ for his country, Donald Trump claimed that he sacrificed by employing ‘thousands and thousands of people.’ Also, he suggested that Khan's wife, Ghazala Khan, didn't speak at the convention because she was forbidden to as a Muslim and questioned whether Khan's words were his own. ‘Who wrote that? Did Hillary's scriptwriters write it?’ Trump said in an interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos. ‘I think I've made a lot of sacrifices. I work very, very hard.’ On the last night of the Democratic National Convention on Thursday, Gold Star father Khizr Khan, with his wife by his side, recounted to the crowd how their son, U.S. Army Capt. Humayun Khan, was killed in 2004 by a car bomb in Iraq.” [ABC News, 7/30/16]
2016: Stefanik Said She Believed That Trump’s Military Proposals Were “Absolutely Not A Good Idea.” According to North Country Public Radio, “But Stefanik’s focus on the military and national security has been complicated by her support of Donald Trump to serve as commander in chief. Trump’s ideas about how to use America’s military power are viewed as dangerous even by many – even by many conservative military and foreign policy experts. ‘And that’s right – I’d blow up the pipes, I’d blow up the – I’d blow up every single inch. There would be nothing left,’ Trump says in a speech posted to YouTube about fighting ISIS. “When you get these terrorists, you have to take out their families,” he says in another video, on CNN. […] In Watertown last April, Trump suggested that U.S. military participation in NATO should depend on how much European countries pay the U.S. Stefanik agrees that many of Trump’s proposals for the military are ‘absolutely not a good idea.’” [North Country Public Radio, 10/12/16]
Stefanik Specifically Pointed To Trump’s Positions On NATO, Putin, And Iraqi Oil Fields. According to North Country Public Radio, “Stefanik agrees that many of Trump’s proposals for the military are ‘absolutely not a good idea.’ Asked why she thinks Trump would make a safe commander in chief, Stefanik argued that he’s preferable to Democrat Hillary Clinton. ‘His statements regarding NATO, his statements regarding Putin, Stefanik said, ‘regarding some of the positions in regards to Iraq that he made, regarding the oil fields – I absolutely oppose those.’” [North Country Public Radio, 10/12/16]
Stefanik Alluded That Congress And Her Role On The House Armed Services Committee Would Be Able To Tame Trump’s Military Proposals, Should They Be Illegal Or Against The Military Code Of Conduct. According to North Country Public Radio, “We pressed harder on this. Stefanik suggested that that Congress, and the Armed Services Committee, would basically be able to keep a lid on Trump. If he proposed anything that’s illegal or against the military code of conduct, Stefanik said she and other lawmakers would block those actions. ‘I believe that regardless of who’s elected the next president, we need to have a strong Congress with congressional oversight on our defense policy,’ she said.” [North Country Public Radio, 10/12/16]
2017: Stefanik Disagreed With Trump’s Budget Proposal, Which Would Have Reduced The EPA’s Funding By 31%. According to North Country Public Radio, “In the fall of 2017, the White House released a draft budget that would have reduced the EPA's funding by 31 percent. In September, Stefanik voted in favor of a funding bill that gave the EPA roughly $1.9 billion more than what the White House had proposed. Stefanik's spokesman, Tom Flanagin, told The Sun newspaper that ‘Congresswoman Stefanik disagreed with the president’s budget request and worked throughout the appropriations process to ensure the needs of our district were met.’” [North Country Public Radio, 8/10/18]
2017: Stefanik Called Trump Leaving The Paris Climate Accords A “Mistake.” According to North Country Public Radio, “North Country congresswoman Elise Stefanik, a Republican, says it was a mistake for Trump to quit the Paris climate accord. But she also says it was a mistake for former President Barack Obama to enter the agreement in the first place. In a statement yesterday, Stefanik said ‘just as President Obama overstepped by entering this agreement without Congressional approval, this decision by President Trump is also a mistake.’ She added that climate change is ‘a serious threat that must be addressed by our entire global community’ and she urged the U. S. government to take a leading role.” [North Country Public Radio, 6/2/17]
Stefanik: “Withdrawing From The Paris Agreement Is Misguided.” According to North Country Public Radio, “‘Withdrawing from the Paris agreement is misguided,’ Stefanik concluded, adding that President Trump's decision ‘harms the on-going effort to fight climate change while also isolating us from our allies.’” [North Country Public Radio, 6/2/17]
2019: Stefanik Voted To Prevent The U.S. From Withdrawing From The Paris Climate Agreement And To Require The President Create A Plan To Meet The Agreement’s Obligation. In May 2019, Stefanik voted for the Climate Action Now Act. According to Congressional Quarterly, “[p]assage of the bill, as amended, that would prohibit the use of federal funds for U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change and would require the president to develop a plan for the United States to meet its nationally determined contribution under the accord. Specifically, it would require the plan to describe how the U.S. will meet, by 2025, its proposed goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 26 to 28 percent below 2005 levels. It would also require the plan to describe how the U.S. will confirm that other major parties to the accord are fulfilling their proposed contributions. The bill would require the plan to be submitted to Congress and made public no later than 120 days after enactment and to be updated annually. As amended, the bill would require the plan to describe how the U.S. can assist other parties in fulfilling contributions to the accord; require a public comment period on the plan and on subsequent updates to the plan; and order a number of reports on the impacts of the Paris Agreement on clean energy job development, the U.S. economy, and U.S. territories.” The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 231 to 190. [House Vote 184, 5/2/19; Congressional Quarterly, 5/2/19; Congressional Actions, H.R. 9]
Stefanik Opposed Trump’s Muslim Ban, Saying, “There Is No Place For What Trump Said About Muslims In This Country.” According to the Post Star, “U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, said she has been focused on end-of-the-year legislation, not the 2016 presidential race. […] She said she agrees with House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., that Donald Trump’s remarks about banning Muslims from coming to the United States were inappropriate. ‘This is not who we are as a country. This is not according to our constitutional principle,’ she said. ‘And I associate myself with with Speaker Ryan’s comment just saying there is no place for what Trump said about Muslims in this country.’” [Post Star, 12/18/15]
Stefanik On Trump’s Muslim Ban: “I Don’t Think That’s Who We Are. That’s Not According To Our Constitutional Principles.” According to North Country Public Radio, “Speaking with NCPR, Stefanik said she doesn't think ‘Donald Trump will be the nominee’ at the top of the GOP ticket. ‘I don't agree with everything that every candidate has said. I've certainly pointed out certain statements by Mr. Trump, especially related to not allowing Muslims into the country. I don't think that's who we are. That's not according to our constitutional principles,’ she added.” [North Country Public Radio, 1/25/16]
Stefanik: “I Oppose President Trump’s Rushed And Overly Broad Executive Order.” According to North Country Public Radio, “In a Tweet quoted by WWNY-TV, Stefanik said she does not support President Trump’s ban on refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants from primarily Muslim countries. ‘I oppose President Trump's rushed and overly broad Executive Order,’ Stefanik said on Twitter.” [North Country Public Radio, 8/10/18]
February 2016: Stefanik Said She Did Not Believe Building Trump’s Border Wall Was The Solution For Better Security Along The Southern U.S. Border. According to the Press-Republican, “Stefanik does not believe building a wall is the solution for better security along the Mexican and southern U.S. border, as presidential candidate Donald Trump has suggested. ‘I think that you can use technology to have better security along the Mexican border,’ she said. ‘But I think it is important when you talk about border security, you have two distinct borders.’” [Press-Republican, 2/20/16]
Stefanik: “I Think That You Can Use Technology To Have Better Security Along The Mexican Border.” According to the Press-Republican, “Stefanik does not believe building a wall is the solution for better security along the Mexican and southern U.S. border, as presidential candidate Donald Trump has suggested. ‘I think that you can use technology to have better security along the Mexican border,’ she said. ‘But I think it is important when you talk about border security, you have two distinct borders.’” [Press-Republican, 2/20/16]
May 2017: Stefanik On Trump’s Border Wall: “I Don’t Think That’s Realistic.” According to the Post Star, “U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, said constructing a literal wall along the southern border between the United States and Mexico is not practical, but securing the border is important. ‘I don’t think that’s realistic,’ Stefanik said Monday at a town hall forum, responding to a question about President Trump’s plan to put up a wall across the southern border. ‘I don’t think the president’s plan is exactly right on that,’ she said, at the forum that Mountain Lake PBS livestreamed.” [Post Star, 5/10/17]
Stefanik: “I Strongly Believe The President’s Comments Were Wrong And Contrary To Our American Ideals.” According to Stefanik’s Twitter, “Thank you to those who have contacted my office today. I strongly believe the President's comments were wrong and contrary to our American ideals. #NY21” [Twitter, @RepStefanik, 1/12/18]
2017: Stefanik Voted Against The Final Version Of Trump’s Tax Reform Plan, Which Substantially Cut Taxes For Rich Americans And Corporations. In December 2017, Stefanik voted against the Tax Cut and Jobs Act, also known as Trump’s tax reform bill. According to Congressional Quarterly, “This Conference Summary deals with the conference report on HR 1, Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which the House will consider Tuesday. The agreement significantly cuts corporate and individual taxes and seeks to simply the tax code, although most individual tax provisions would expire after 2025. It reduces the corporate tax from 35% to 21% and reduces taxation of so-called ‘pass-through’ businesses where profits are taxed at the individual rate. For corporate taxes it also establishes a ‘territorial’ tax system that exempts most overseas income from U.S. taxation. Most individual tax rate rates would be reduced, including by dropping the top rate from 39.6% to 37%, and it eliminates personal exemptions but nearly doubles the standard deduction so fewer taxpayers will itemize deductions.” The vote was on a motion to concur with the Senate amendment, effectively on passage. The House agreed to the motion, thereby passing the bill by a vote of 224 to 201. President Trump signed the bill into law. [House Vote 699, 12/20/17; Congressional Quarterly, 12/18/17; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1]
2018: Stefanik Voted Against Permanently Extending The Expiring Provisions Of The 2017 Trump Tax Cuts. In September 2018, Stefanik voted against a bill that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, “ma[d]e permanent a number of tax provisions that would otherwise expire in 2025. The provisions from the 2017 tax overhaul (PL 115-97) that would [have] become permanent include: reduced tax rates and modified tax bracket breakpoints for the seven tax brackets, the standard deduction amount, the elimination of personal exemptions for each taxpayer and dependent, and the increased child tax credit.” The House passed the bill by a vote of 220 to 191. The Senate took no substantive action on the legislation. [House Vote 414, 9/28/18; Congressional Quarterly, 9/28/18; Congressional Actions, H.R. 6760]
Stefanik Opposed The Trump Administration’s Intent To Renegotiate The North American Free Trade Agreement. According to North Country Public Radio, “Stefanik traveled to Ottawa to meet with Canadian trade officials in late March. Afterward, the congresswoman told The Sun newspaper that she disagreed with President Trump's stance on the North American Free Trade Agreement – namely, that it was a poor deal and needed to be renegotiated from top to bottom. ‘Hopefully we don’t get to that point and can focus on modernizing the trade agreement between those three countries,’ Stefanik said, ‘and how we can strengthen (NAFTA) and not throw the baby out with the bathwater.’” [North Country Public Radio, 8/10/18]
May 2018: Stefanik: “I Strongly Oppose These Tariffs On Our Nation’s Closest Economic Partner, Canada.” According to Stefanik’s press release accessed via the Wayback Machine, “Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21), Member of the Northern Border Caucus, issued the following statement on the announcement of steel and aluminum tariffs on allies including Canada: ‘I strongly oppose these tariffs on our nation’s closest economic partner, Canada,’ said Congresswoman Stefanik. ‘If President Trump wants to target Chinese steel dumping, he should target tariffs at China and not at our friends to the North. The shared production of goods by the U.S. and Canada actually makes our goods more competitive in global markets against China and others.’” [Rep. Elise Stefanik accessed via the Wayback Machine, 5/31/18]
May 2018: Stefanik Said Trump’s Tariffs Could Incentivize Canadian Firms To Leave Her District Or Impose Tariffs On The U.S. According to Stefanik’s press release accessed via the Wayback Machine, “‘Imposing these tariffs will raise prices on businesses in our district that use steel and aluminum, and these costs will be passed on to consumers. Furthermore, as a Northern Border district, I am concerned that these tariffs could incentivize Canadian firms in our district to leave, or possibly incentivize Canada to impose harmful tariffs on our own products. Thousands of manufacturing jobs in the North Country are directly tied to Canada and cross border supply chains, including more than 8,500 in the transportation equipment sector alone.’” [Rep. Elise Stefanik accessed via the Wayback Machine, 5/31/18]
July 2018: Stefanik On Trump’s Trade War With Canada: “I Am Concerned About The Punitive Impact Of Tariffs Because Of This Ongoing Trade War.” According to North Country Public Radio, “Congresswoman Elise Stefanik says she's against President Trump's trade war with Canada and other U.S. allies. The Republican lawmaker spoke in Plattsburgh Friday. ‘I am concerned about the punitive impact of tariffs because of this ongoing trade war," Stefanik said. "When it comes to targeting China, let's target China and not our important allies and trading partners like Canada, like our allies in Europe.’” [North Country Public Radio, 7/9/18]
July 2018: Stefanik Argued For The Administration To Focus On Targeting China Instead Of U.S. Allies In The Ongoing Trade War. According to North Country Public Radio, “Congresswoman Elise Stefanik says she's against President Trump's trade war with Canada and other U.S. allies. The Republican lawmaker spoke in Plattsburgh Friday. ‘I am concerned about the punitive impact of tariffs because of this ongoing trade war," Stefanik said. "When it comes to targeting China, let's target China and not our important allies and trading partners like Canada, like our allies in Europe.’” [North Country Public Radio, 7/9/18]
Stefanik Distanced Herself From The Trump Administration After Trump And His Top Aides Attacked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau On Twitter. According to North Country Public Radio, “After Trump and his top aides blasted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada on Twitter — with one top White House official saying there is a “special place in hell” for the Canadian leader — Stefanik voiced concern. ‘I am hopeful that we can move beyond this, and there was a member of the administration that apologized…in terms of the characterization that he made of Prime Minister Trudeau,’ Stefanik told NCPR. ‘But I have an independent record on this issue and I know that our trade with Canada is important to the hard-working families in the district that I represent.’” [North Country Public Radio, 8/10/18]
2018: Stefanik Said She Was “Very Opposed” To Trump’s Tariffs, Saying That The U.S. Was “Experiencing The Consequences Of A Trade War.” According to North Country Public Radio, “Stefanik told WWNY-TV that the administration’s new tariffs are having a negative impact on agriculture and farmers. ‘I think, unfortunately, we are experiencing the consequences of a trade war,’ Stefanik said. ‘I view tariffs as a form of taxation. I've been very opposed to the president's tariffs.’” [North Country Public Radio, 8/10/18]