Elise Stefanik caught boasting about $12.9m hospital investment that she voted against

Republican lawmaker Elise Stefanik has been caught touting $12.9m in funding for rural hospitals in her district that she actually voted against.

The pro-Trump congresswoman from New York welcomed the Rural Development Grants from the Department of Agriculture, calling it a “significant investment.”

But she failed to tell her constituents that the money was coming from Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan, which was passed by Congress in March 202, according to Politico.

Ms Stefanik was one of 212 Republicans to vote against the $1.9 trillion Covid-19 stimulus package.

She even branded the package a “Far-Left wish list” in a statement at the time.

Her office defended the lawmaker, calling her “one of the most effective Members of Congress at delivering federal funding for her constituents, whether she is the minority or majority.”

“She voted no against Pelosi’s radical spending bills because of Far Left provisions. But she will always effectively deliver solutions and funds for her constituents and then she will announce and promote them when they are delivered.

“The mainstream media is working overtime as stenographers for the desperate Democrats who are about to lose the majority.”

Ms Stefanik is among a string of Republicans who have tried to take credit for investment money that they actually voted against, and have been called out by the White House for doing so.

“If you’re going to try to take credit for what you’ve done, don’t get in the way of what we still need to do,” Mr Biden said during a visit to Ohio in May 2021.