Rep. Goldman seeks to censure Stefanik over recent comments on January 6

Democratic Representative Dan Goldman has introduced a resolution to censure Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York for her recent comments on the Jan. 6 attack on Congress. Stefanik, who chairs the House GOP Conference, described the defendants involved in the Capitol riot as “hostages,” echoing former President Donald Trump’s language.

The resolution accuses Stefanik of supporting the attackers of the U.S. Capitol, who disrupted the certification of the 2020 Presidential election, threatened violence against Congress members, and caused the death and injury of law enforcement officers. Goldman criticized Stefanik for aligning with Trump and undermining the severity of the Capitol riot.

More than 1,200 individuals have been charged with federal crimes related to the Jan. 6 events, including over 700 guilty pleas. Despite this, Stefanik remains a prominent Trump supporter in the House and has endorsed his potential 2024 presidential run.

Stefanik’s advisor, Alex DeGrasse, dismissed the censure motion as a sign of Democratic desperation ahead of the upcoming elections. Stefanik had voted against certifying the 2020 election results in some states following the Capitol riot and has recently refrained from committing to certify future election results.

The censure resolution highlights the contrast between Stefanik’s condemnation of violence on Jan. 6 and her recent statements, reflecting ongoing tensions over the events of that day.