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Opinion: SLC Democratic Committee condemns Stefanik for War Power Resolution vote

Posted 1/14/20

A few days ago, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik voted in opposition to the War Power Resolution which would limit President Trump’s ability take military action against Iran unless war is declared or …

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Opinion: SLC Democratic Committee condemns Stefanik for War Power Resolution vote

Posted

A few days ago, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik voted in opposition to the War Power Resolution which would limit President Trump’s ability take military action against Iran unless war is declared or there is an imminent threat to the United States. Regardless of your opinion of last week’s attack on Qasem Soleimani, Elise Stefanik’s decision to vote against the resolution should be very troubling.

Her decision to abdicate her responsibility to the Trump administration and reinforce that President’s misguided view that the Constitution allows him act unilaterally and without oversight is shocking. Make no mistake, the St. Lawrence County Democratic Committee does not criticize Ms. Stefanik for her support of the strike against Soleimani, but it vehemently condemns her lack of resolve in demanding answers and accountability for military actions as the Constitution instructs. Ms. Stefanik serves on the Intelligence Committee and represents the soldiers and families stationed at Fort Drum.

The St. Lawrence County Democratic Committee agrees with Ms. Stefanik’s Republican colleague from Florida Matt Gaetz who, in voting in favor of the resolution, stated, “If the members of our armed services have the courage to go and fight and die in these wars, as Congress, we ought to have the courage to vote for them or against them.”

While Ms. Stefanik should have been asking questions of the President and his cabinet, she and her campaign were busy raising money and Tweeting an altered photo of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Unfortunately, Ms. Stefanik’s campaign used the same tactics she berated the “Leftist Twitter mob” for using against her weeks ago. And as in the impeachment hearings, it appears Ms. Stefanik is spending more energy raising campaign dollars in berating colleagues than she is doing the work of Congress.

Ms. Stefanik should have learned by now that her constituents in the 21st want her to ask tough questions, vote courageously, and represent the people of the 21st unwaveringly rather than pander to the Washington elite and make points with President Trump. As time goes on, it seems she is doing more of the latter and less of the former.

St. Lawrence County Democratic Committee

Mark Bellardini, Mike Zagrobelny, Barbara Finnie, Heather Kish, Jennie Bacon, Ronald McDougall, Tony Arquiett, Nicole Terminelli, Jason Clark