Republican Congressional Candidate Elise Stefanik released her first television advertisement of the general election cycle today telling voters that she’s qualified for the job because she’s had the experience of running for Congress – but leaves out most of her toxic resume.
Stefanik has actually spent her career as a political operative who helped shape and sell failed policies North Country voters have already rejected. Stefanik’s ad leaves out her years of work in the George Bush White House, and the role she played helping write the Republican platform that calls for privatizing Social Security, ending the Medicare guarantee by turning it into a privatized voucher system, and restricting women’s health care.
“The only qualification Elise Stefanik could boast in her first ad was that she’s had the experience of running for office,” said Marc Brumer of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “That’s because she knows if she came clean about her real experience helping write the Republican Platform that calls for privatizing Social Security, ending the Medicare guarantee, and restricting women’s health care, that New Yorkers wouldn’t give her ad or her candidacy a second glance. Voters won’t be fooled by Elise Stefanik’s desperate attempts to hide her decade long career as a Washington political operative who helped out-of-touch Republicans like George Bush and Paul Ryan impose their reckless plans to penalize hard working middle class families and seniors in order to help the ultra wealthy and the special interests who are now bankrolling her campaign.”
BACKGROUND:
2006-2009: Stefanik Working in the Bush White House. From 2006 to 2009 Stefanik served in Bush White House on the Domestic Policy Council Staff and in the Chief of Staff’s office where she worked on economic and domestic policy issues. [Watertown Daily Times, 8/08/13]
Served as Policy Director of the Republican National Convention Platform Committee. In July 2012, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Preibus announced Elise Stefanik as the Policy Director of the 2012 Republican National Convention Committee on Resolutions, commonly known as the Platform Committee. Stefanik’s title is listed as the “Policy Director” in the “Platform Staff” section of the 2012 Republican Platform document. [PR Newswire, 7/02/12; 2012 Republican Platform, 09/12]
Platform Supported Privatization of Social Security. In 2012, the Republican Platform said younger workers should be given the option of “personal investment accounts as supplements to the system.” [New York Times, 9/04/12]
Platform Advocated Turning Medicare into a Voucher System. In 2012, the Republican Platform embraced a plan, similar to the one outlined in the Ryan budget, to turn Medicare into a voucher-like system, in which seniors would get subsidies to buy private health insurance. [Politico, 8/21/12]
AARP: Republican Budget’s Voucher System Would Remove the Medicare Guarantee. “Chairman Ryan’s proposed budget fails to address the high costs of health care and instead shifts costs onto seniors and future retirees. Repealing the benefits of the Affordable Care Act ignores the progress we’ve made to improve access to health care and protect against discrimination based on age, gender or medical history. Removing the Medicare guarantee of affordable health coverage for older Americans by implementing a premium support system and asking seniors and future retirees to pay more is not the right direction.” [AARP Press Release, 4/01/14]
Platform Supported Constitutional Amendment to Ban Abortion. In 2012, the Republican Platform supported the passage of a constitutional amendment to ban abortion. [New York Times, 9/04/12]
Platform Anti-Abortion Plank Included No Exemptions for Rape, Incest, or Life of the Mother. In 2012, the Republican Platform contained an abortion plank that included no exemptions for rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. The platform instead included draft language for a “Human Life Amendment” that would give legal protection to the unborn. [Politico, 8/21/12]