A prominent congresswoman from New York, United States Representative Elise Stefanik, encountered a hostile reception from a crowd in the town of Plattsburgh. The incident, which took place during a local event on August 18 to pay tribute to a recently deceased politician, saw the representative met with a series of loud jeers from the audience. The disapproval from the crowd was so severe and consistent that she ultimately found it impossible to continue her speech.
She was forced to abandon her turn at the microphone and hand it to another individual on the stage. The public outcry was vocal and pointed. Individuals in the crowd loudly shouted “Shame!” and “release the Epstein files!” It’s clear that her decisions during the Epstein case are still on the minds of the public.
Still, this was a tribute to someone who had died. This was a really inappropriate time to do this, and was likely considered disrespectful by the grieving family. Following the encounter, Representative Stefanik offered her own perspective on the situation to MSNBC.
Republican congresswoman booed off a podium
She described the actions of the crowd as a deeply shameful event and a terrible dishonor. The congresswoman attributed the disturbance to the actions of what she described as the far left, saying, “It is a disgusting disgrace that this is what the far left does.” She put all the blame on democrats, making it seem like republicans would never have a problem with sheltering those involved with Epstein.
The public shaming also arrives at a critical juncture in the congresswoman’s career, as she is considering a potential campaign for the office of governor in New York State. This may be why she would think it could be democrats, because she’d likely believe Republicans support her and her bid to become a governor.
Elise Stefanik got booed so loud in her district you couldn’t even hear her speak.
— Democrats (@TheDemocrats) August 19, 2025
That's what happens when you sell out your constituents to Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/emdfgs7kq1
She seems to be the target of a lot of scrutiny. The incident follows a decision by President Donald Trump to remove her as a candidate for a different high-level position earlier in the year. The president had nominated her to be an ambassador to the United Nations, but that bid was ultimately withdrawn.
This incident is not an isolated one but rather the latest example in a series of similar occurrences involving Republican lawmakers across the nation. In recent months, a number of other elected officials from the same political party have been confronted with discontented constituents during public forums.
The events in Plattsburgh served as a pointed reminder of the public’s willingness to vocalize its priorities. The shouts demanding the release of the Epstein files and to be more honest about the President’s role in them are loud. However, the current plan for the GOP seems to be to try to block Epstein revelations to protect Trump.
