CNN
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Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik on Sunday called those sentenced to prison for their role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol “hostages,” echoing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. did.
“We have concerns about the treatment of the hostages on January 6th. We have concerns, but we have a role to play in Congress to oversee the treatment of prisoners of war, and we believe that we should not only use the federal government’s weapons against President Trump but also against conservatives.” I think we’re seeing a shift,” the New York Republican said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
The House Republican Conference Chairman’s comments came a day after the third anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot in which hundreds of people stormed the U.S. Capitol to keep President Trump in the White House. More than 1,200 Americans faced criminal charges for their actions during the riot, and more than half of the more than 890 people convicted of federal crimes were sentenced to prison, according to the Justice Department.
Several rioters argued in court that they were victims of politically motivated prosecutions because they supported Mr. Trump. But federal judges, including some appointed by President Trump, have rejected these arguments.
Former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney called Stefanik “disgraceful” for calling those imprisoned for the Jan. 6 action “hostages.”
“That word she used is exactly the word Donald Trump uses. And that’s why she’s using it. It’s outrageous and disgusting,” Cheney told CBS. He spoke on “Face the Nation.” “These are the people who were involved in the violence against police officers during the storming of the Capitol, and it is shameful for Donald Trump to speak out.”
After the Capitol attack, Stefanik gave a speech on the House floor condemning political violence, but still objected to the certification of Pennsylvania’s votes in the 2020 election.
“I stand by what I said on the House floor. I advocated for election integrity and objected to and opposed Pennsylvania’s certification on grounds of unconstitutional overreach,” Stefanik said Sunday. . “So I absolutely support the floor speech. I’m proud to support President Trump.”
There is no evidence of voter fraud or constitutional overreach in Pennsylvania or any other state in the 2020 election.
Asked if he would certify the 2024 election no matter who wins, Stefanik would not commit. “We’re going to make sure this is a legitimate and valid election. What we’re seeing so far is that Democrats are desperately trying to remove President Trump from the ballot. ,” he said, noting that some states are using the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist ban” to bar former presidents from voting. will appear on the ballot.
Stefanik also said she would be honored to work with a future Trump administration, although she did not give a direct answer when asked if she would consider becoming President Trump’s running mate.
“Of course, I would be honored to serve in any capacity in the Trump administration. I was proud to be the first Congressman to support his re-election, and I am proud to be a strong supporter of President Trump.” I think he will win this November,” Stefanik said.
CNN’s Daniel Dale, Hannah Rabinowitz and Holmes Lybrand contributed to this report.
