Rep. Elise Stefanik Removed From Harvard Advisory Committee Over Election Fraud Claims
CAMBRIDGE (CBS/AP) — A Republican Congresswoman who challenged last week's count of the Electoral College is no longer affiliated with Harvard University. New York Rep. Elise Stefanik served as an advisor for the Kennedy School's Institute of Politics.
More than 1,000 students, alumni and staff had urged administrators to cut ties with Stefanik after the riots at the U.S. Capitol. Stefanik was one of roughly a dozen current and former public servants on a senior advisory committee for the Institute of Politics, a program intended to get undergraduates interested in public service careers.
Dean Douglas Elmendorf said he asked Stefanik to step aside from her role, but she refused. She was then removed from her advisory position.
"My request was not about political parties, political ideology, or her choice of candidate for president," Elmendorf said in a statement. "Rather, in my assessment, Elise has made public assertions about voter fraud in November's presidential election that have no basis in evidence, and she has made public statements about court actions related to the election that are incorrect."
Stefanik responded by saying Harvard's decision will "continue to erode diversity of thought, public discourse and ultimately the student experience."
???? My Statement on @Harvard @harvardiop Bowing to the Far-Left: pic.twitter.com/sCOuPHeAP6
— Rep. Elise Stefanik (@RepStefanik) January 12, 2021
"I relish the opportunity to stand up for freedom of speech and freedom of thought on college campuses across America," Stefanik said in a statement. "Congratulations Harvard, the entire Board of the Institute of Politics now consists of only Joe Biden voters - how reflective of America."
Stefanik, a 2006 Harvard graduate, was among 147 Republicans who opposed certifying President-elect Biden's election last week. She condemned the riot at the U.S. Capitol but repeated false claims about "unprecedented voting irregularities" in the presidential election.
Stefanik, who represents an upstate New York district, was reelected to a fourth term in the November election.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)