House GOP Chair Elise Stefanik posted her best quarter of fundraising on the heels of a watershed Congressional hearing in which she grilled university presidents over their unwillingness to condemn antisemitism on campus, The Post has learned.
On Tuesday, Stefanik announced she raised $5.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2023 — breaking her previous fundraising record, according to documents reviewed by The Post.
The unabashed Trump supporter from upstate New York – and the third-most powerful GOPer in the House – has now raised over $13 million for the 2024 election cycle to date.
She has transferred millions of dollars to the National Republican Congressional Committee.
“I am grateful for the historic support from longtime and first-time donors in upstate New York and across the country,” Stefanik said of her fundraising last quarter.
“It is clear the American people are looking for leadership and results, and I am committed to delivering both. This is a great start to 2024 as we work to elect President Trump, grow the House Republican Majority, and save America.”
During an exchange with Rep. Elise Stefanik, former Harvard President Claudine Gay was asked whether calling for the genocide of Jews on campus violates the university’s codes of conduct.
AP
In addition to securing 35,000 first-time donors, Stefanik also nabbed donations from prominent GOP fundraisers including Blackstone Group co-founder and CEO Steve Schwarzman as well as the company’s head of government relations Wayne Berman.
Other donors included the former ambassador to Israel under Trump, David Friedman; Laura Perlmutter who is married to Palm Beach billionaire Ike Perlmutter; Metro Bank Founder Vernon Hill, and Bruce Toll, the co-founder of homebuilding company Toll Brothers.
The December Congressional hearing into antisemitism on campus — which eventually led to the ouster of the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania — put Stefanik in an even bigger national spotlight.
Harvard ousted Claudine Gay from her role last week. Getty Images
Since the hearing, Stefanik has remained vocal in condemning universities unwillingness to stand against antisemitism.
“We must defund the rot in America’s higher education,” Stefanik previously told The Post about the importance of halting donations to Ivy League schools.
Stefanik raised $13.4 million in the 2020 cycle and $9.2 million in 2022, according to election filings.
Some of her previous donors included Paul Singer, founder and co-CEO of Elliott Management; John Catsimatidis, founder and CEO of Red Apple Group, and Long Island billionaire Andy Sabin.
Blackstone Group Chairman Stephen Schwarzman donated to Stefanik last quarter. Getty Images
Last year, Stefanik launched a “battleground fund” to boost Republicans in the perennially blue Empire State as the party looks to hang on to gains made in the last election, The Post previously reported.
Source link: https://nypost.com/2024/01/09/business/elise-stefanik-rakes-in-record-fundraising-haul-in-wake-of-antisemitism-grilling/