The Left-Cheek Ass Clown for May, 2022

It's time once again to heap dishonor upon a worthy ass clown. As always, the competition for this dishonor was intense and I had a difficult time sorting through the long list of unworthies, but I finally managed to decide.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Readers, designation as

The Left-Cheek Ass Clown for May, 2022

is presented to

Representative Elise Stefanik (R, NY-21)

Representative Stefanik, the third-ranking House Republican and chair of the House Republican Conference since 2021, has been noted for her extreme rightward shift and embrace of bizarre conspiracy theories. She made a real, if unfortunate, name for herself this past week when she published the following tweet (view in her Twitter feed here):

The White House, House Dems, & usual pedo grifters are so out of touch with the American people that rather than present ANY PLAN or urgency to address the nationwide baby formula crisis, they double down on sending pallets of formula to the southern border. Joe Biden has NO PLAN

— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) May 13, 2022

Consider for a moment the utter lack of class, dignity, and decorum of a sitting member of Congress accusing the President and members of the opposing political party of being "pedophile grifters" ... a term directly out of the fevered minds of those who gleefully swim in the Q-Anon sewer. Even at a time when one has come to expect childish and immature behavior from many members of Congress, Ms Stefanik's tweet hit rock bottom of the decorum hole and kept on digging.

Predictably, once the backlash over her tweet began, Ms Stefanik accused her critics of deliberately misinterpreting her words, and her communications director tried to divert attention by claiming she was referring to members of the anti-Trump Lincoln Project who are "protect(ing) known pedophiles who preyed on minors."*

And for all that she accused the President and the Democrats of having no plan to address the nationwide shortage of baby formula, she failed to note that while immigration detention centers do have supplies of baby formula for the babies of undocumented migrants, they are required by a law in place since the late 1990s to provide adequate nutrition to minors in custody. She also failed to note that the Republicans have offered no specific plan to resolve the issue, either.**

New York Representative Elise Stefanik is, unquestionably, an ass clown of the highest order and well-deserving of designation as the Left-Cheek Ass Clown for this month. Her constituents ... and the nation ... deserve better.

Have a good day, and come back tomorrow for Cartoon Saturday. More thoughts then.

Bilbo

* It is true that John Weaver, a co-founder of The Lincoln Project, was accused of sexual misconduct involving minors. Far from protecting him, however, the organization immediately cut all ties with Weaver and condemned his actions, issuing a statement at the time that "John Weaver led a secret life that was built on a foundation of deception at every level. He is a predator, a liar, and an abuser. We extend our deepest sympathies to those who were targeted by his deplorable and predatory behavior. We are disgusted and outraged that someone in a position of power and trust would use it for these means."

** Not to mention that 192 House Republicans voted against a $28 million emergency spending bill to address the nationwide shortage of baby formula ... and nine Republicans voted against a bill that would help poor families buy formula by expanding on a federal program to help low-income women and children. If only those children were unborn ...