Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) responded to a now-deleted blog post in a local New York newspaper that ridiculed her as “childless.” Two writers for the Albany Times Union, Peter Marino and Lale Davidson, took aim at Stefanik as a “rising star” in the Republican Party in an attempted satirical account of Stefanik interacting with children.
"I myself am childless because I am a rising star in the Republican Party, and family planning is possible by way of the contraception paid for by my excellent taxpayer-provided healthcare plan," the pair wrote in the fictional account of Stefanik speaking to children.
In a joint statement with her husband, Stefanik is demanding a retraction of the sexist publication.
"As a young couple, we have developed a thick skin over many years as we have become accustomed to repeated sexist smears in media coverage. However, the Times Union’s decision to publish an article that mocked us as ‘childless’ is a new low and is truly heinous and wildly inappropriate is truly heinous and wildly inappropriate. The shameful statement is not only inherently sexist, but also hateful, abusive, and heartless,” the couple wrote in a statement. “The Times Union publisher, editors, and staff have clearly let the paper’s standards sink so low that they have chosen to embrace sexist scum and content under the masthead. They should be ashamed. We not only require a complete retraction, but we also demand an immediate public apology and explanation as to how this was allowed to be published in the Times Union and who will be held responsible and accountable.”
????Our Statement Regarding the @timesunion Mocking Me As “Childless”???? pic.twitter.com/ddRe6iRHYD
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) January 19, 2021
The paper has yet to issue an apology to Stefanik.