‘Authoritarian’: Furious NY House Republicans send warning to Dem leaders in war over Stefanik seat

Republicans in New York’s congressional delegation are expressing outrage over reports that state Democrat leaders are considering legislative tactics to delay the special election to replace Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y. The six GOP lawmakers have indicated that they will seek intervention from the Department of Justice (DOJ) if the alleged maneuver violates federal law.

A letter led by Reps. Mike Lawler and Nick Langworthy, along with New York Republican Reps. Nicole Malliotakis, Nick LaLota, Andrew Garbarino, and Claudia Tenney, stated, “Your clear attempt at playing political games to limit Republican numbers in the House of Representatives is overreaching, corrupt, and undemocratic. We demand you cease any and all such attempts to change this law, and in preparation of this conspiratory, corrupt act that clearly threatens the constitutional rights of American citizens, we will also be alerting the Department of Justice.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has supported the New York lawmakers’ pressure on the state’s Democrat leaders, calling it “open political corruption.” He emphasized that any effort to delay the special election would disenfranchise over 750,000 New Yorkers in the 21st District.

Reports suggest that New York lawmakers in the state Senate and Assembly met recently to discuss a rules change that could keep Stefanik’s seat vacant until at least June. Stefanik has been nominated by President Donald Trump to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and is expected to pass a Senate confirmation vote soon. Her departure, along with National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, leaves the House with a slim GOP majority, requiring unanimous Republican support to pass legislation without Democrat backing.

The letter highlighted that Stefanik’s confirmation could occur as early as this week, leaving residents of New York’s 21st Congressional District without representation in the House until the vacant seat is filled. The deep-red district is likely to remain under Republican control, similar to Waltz’s former Florida seat.

While Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis promptly scheduled special elections for April, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has not made any announcements. Under current state law, Hochul has 10 days after Stefanik’s resignation to call a special election within an additional 70 to 80 days. However, the proposed rule change would reportedly align the special election date with the June primary race to save resources and time.

The GOP lawmakers criticized the alleged scheme as an abuse of power, arguing that any delay in calling a special election would violate the Constitution’s clauses on filling House vacancies and Supreme Court precedent. They cited a 2009 New York State Court of Appeals ruling that special elections should occur in the “shortest space of time reasonably possible.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Hochul’s office, as well as the offices of New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins for comment on the matter.

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