House GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) has emerged as a top contender to be former President Donald Trump‘s running mate in November, if he wins the GOP nomination, after several spirited defenses of Trump.
Stefanik, one of the most vocal supporters of Trump in Republican congressional leadership, has made several key defenses of Trump in recent months as there has been talk of her being his vice presidential nominee. Here are three instances of Stefanik going to bat for Trump as these rumors have swirled.
Submitting Ethics complaint against New York Attorney General Letitia James
Stefanik sent a 64-page complaint on Tuesday to the New York Committee on Professional Standards, requesting an investigation into alleged violations of the state rules of conduct by James on her prosecution of Trump in the civil fraud trial in the state.
“It’s been her explicit mission since she announced her run for office to go after President Trump. Such behavior not only undermines the integrity of the legal process but also violates the Rules of Professional Conduct to which James, as a licensed attorney, is bound,” Stefanik said in a statement.
Stefanik cites “highly inappropriate and prejudicial comments on social media,” among other reasons, for why James should be disqualified from the case.
The complaint is the latest from Stefanik, who had filed various complaints regarding Trump’s indictments and investigations.
Disagreeing with former Vice President Mike Pence’s decision to certify the 2020 election
Stefanik was asked last week if she would have certified the 2020 election on Jan. 6, 2021, like Pence did, if she had been vice president, to which she replied she would not have. She alleged constitutional overreach by certain states and took a stance in line with Trump, who called for the rejection of some states’ results.
“I would not have done what Mike Pence did,” Stefanik said on CNN on Thursday. “I don’t think that was the right approach. I specifically stand by what I said on the House floor.”
“And I stand by my statement, which was there was unconstitutional overreach in states like Pennsylvania, and I think it’s very important that we continue to stand up for the Constitution and have legal and secure elections — which we didn’t have in 2020. And tens of millions of Americans agree with me.”
Defending Trump against backlash over immigrant comments
The New York Republican has not been shy about defending some of Trump’s more controversial comments, including remarks he made that some illegal immigrants were “poisoning the blood” of the country.
Stefanik dismissed the criticism as talking points from President Joe Biden’s campaign while on NBC News’s Meet the Press last month. She also used it as an opportunity to tout Trump’s border policy.
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“Well, yet again, we have the media, which is so biased which is reiterating whatever talking points the Biden campaign is giving,” Stefanik said.
“Let me be clear. Our border crisis is poisoning Americans through fentanyl. It is poisoning people, including in my district, who are dying from overdoses of fentanyl. And you know why? Because of Joe Biden’s wide open border that — executive actions he took on day one,” she added. “So yes, I stand by President Trump. And President Trump also — he has the strongest record when it comes to supporting the Jewish people and supporting the state of Israel.”
