The Far Right
Far-right extremism is thriving in rural areas. Here's what it looks like in Upstate N.Y.
Many conservatives in the United States have shifted to the right — embracing conspiracy theories and identifying with provocative, sometimes violent movements. This first installment of the 2024 podcast and web series If All Else Fails is an overview of the far-right symbols, militias, and groups around Upstate New York.
A sheriff was recruited to a far-right group. Now he's reconsidering
Experts say the group Protect America Now is radicalizing sheriffs across the country, pushing election conspiracy theories and a far-right interpretation of the constitution. After our interview about his membership, Sheriff Rich Giardino said he was resigning from the group. This story is Part Three of the podcast and web series If All Else Fails.
In Florida, 'health freedom' activists exert influence over a major hospital
For NPR’s All Things Considered: Out of 6,000 hospitals in the U.S., about 200 are run by publicly elected board members. Those elections usually have nothing to do with national politics or culture-war issues. But at a top medical facility in Sarasota, Florida, a group of political activists opposed to COVID protocols saw an opportunity.
Elise Stefanik — Series for North Country Public Radio
Early in her career, Rep. Elise Stefanik was known as a Harvard-educated, establishment Republican who seemed to loathe Donald Trump. Today she is a member of the party's leadership, a position she earned by amplifying pro-Trump conspiracy theories. This radio series tracking Stefanik's rhetoric and political transformation won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, Radio Television Digital News Association, and Public Media Journalists Association, and two of the stories were featured nationally on NPR.
How Stefanik won power and support for spreading Trump's 'Big Lie'
Rep. Stefanik has validated former President Trump’s conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, a political move that helped catapult her to national prominence and won her a top leadership position in her party. Photo provided by Hannah Schoenbaum.
NPR: Schools find conspiracy theories interfere with making classrooms inclusive
School districts across the country are trying to make classrooms more inclusive. But misinformation, sometimes spread by top elected officials, is fueling fears of a hidden agenda. This story was featured on NPR’s Morning Edition in August 2022. Photo provided by Nancie Battaglia.
NPR: Stefanik’s defense of Trump around Jan. 6 clouds her pro-democracy work abroad
Since 2019, Elise Stefanik has worked with a group dedicated to supporting free and fair elections and debunking disinformation overseas. But after Jan. 6, some on staff tried to get her fired. This story aired on NPR’s Morning Edition; photo by Brett Davis.
‘Dominion’ voting conspiracy, which Stefanik amplified, debunked in Jan. 6 hearings
One of the conspiracy theories that came up in the Jan. 6 hearings in Washington had to do with a company called Dominion Voting Systems. Stefanik was one of the people amplifying that misinformation in 2020, even after it was debunked in an official letter by then-President Trump’s own election officials.
School officials say Stefanik fueled angry confrontations over masks
The local conversation about masking had been relatively quiet, school officials said — until Congresswoman Stefanik fired off a series of tweets about New York State’s mask mandate, falsely calling it “illegal.” Photo provided by Emily Russell.
In 2016, Stefanik promised to push back against Trump. Today, she is ‘ultra MAGA’
In a sit-down interview with NCPR, Stefanik once listed a number of Trump’s ideas that she “absolutely” opposed. “I’ll be an independent voice for this district,” she told me, “and I’ll say when I disagree”. Today she avoids such interviews, and rarely expresses disagreement with the former president.
NYC — Assignments for NPR
For the first time, the Islamic call to prayer is broadcast in Astoria, Queens
In 2023, Astoria’s mosques received permits to broadcast the adhan over loudspeakers during Ramadan. Organizers behind the effort and many of the neighborhood’s Muslim residents said hearing the call to prayer on the streets was deeply emotional.
2 top Democrats face off in House primary thanks to redistricting in New York
Two longtime members of Congress ran against one another because of redistricting in New York. Reps. Jerry Nadler and Carolyn Maloney had been friends and allies for decades, but the race for the new 12th District seat became a bitter primary battle.
Russian speakers in the U.S. monitor the war in Ukraine closely
As Russia's unprovoked war on Ukraine began, I spoke with immigrants from the former Soviet Union living in Forest Hills who expressed horror and heartbreak over the war, and concerns about Russian propaganda fueling the conflict.
Climate — Reporting for WHRO, Pulitzer Center
A growing problem underground
As sea levels rise in coastal Virginia, the region’s soil is becoming soggier — disrupting fragile wastewater systems underground and worsening a sanitation crisis that hurts vulnerable, marginalized groups the most.
This story, featured on NPR’s All Things Considered, was part of an award-winning Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting series exploring how Virginia is confronting climate change. The original version aired on WHRO Public Media .
Previous work (2013-2018)
Identities
Plattsburgh, Keene struggle with aftershocks of racist joke
A social media post appearing to call for racist violence against African Americans sparks protests and reflection. This story, made with help from NPR’s Code Switch team, won a regional Edward R. Murrow Award, a First Place PMJA Award, and a First Place NYS Associated Press Award. A shorter version aired on WBUR’s Here & Now.
NPR: Why a Confederate flag flies in Upstate New York
After a summer of protests over Confederate monuments and a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, neighbors living near the Canadian border debate the meaning of the Confederate battle flag. Featured on NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday, WNYC’s Morning Edition, and HowSound. This piece won a Second Place PMJA Award.
NPR: Support pours in for N.Y. immigrant after post-election harassment
In response to a series of racial slurs and vandalism, a Buddhist restaurant owner considers buying a gun. It’s a violation of his spiritual beliefs and personal politics, he says, but a necessary step to protect himself and his family. Then, his rural community overwhelms him with kindness. This story was featured on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Immigration
WBUR: Crackdown on immigration sends many migrants into hiding
A small, rural community feels the effects of the Trump administration’s new immigration policies: ICE officers arrest almost the entire staff of a restaurant, forcing it to close; dairy workers are afraid to buy groceries; and worshippers stop showing up for church. This story was featured on WBUR’s Here & Now.
NPR: Haitians in the U.S. flock to Canada’s border seeking asylum
After the U.S. government announced that Haitians with temporary protected status would have to return home, thousands fled to Canada in hopes of getting asylum there. Featured on NPR’s Morning Edition. Part of a series that won a First Place Continuing Coverage Award from PMJA.
Trump policies bring heartache and hardship to a North Country family
When Donald Trump became president he granted broad authority to the Department of Homeland Security to deport unauthorized immigrants far more aggressively than in the past. This is the story of a 53-year-old grandfather who was deported under the new policy and a family in distress.
Politics
NPR: At town hall meeting, Republican lawmaker gets an earful over health care
A few days after voting in favor of a House bill to repeal and replace major parts of the Affordable Care Act, Rep. Elise Stefanik, from Northern New York, faced an angry crowd at a public television station. This story was featured on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Muslim students uneasy as Trump team prepares new executive order
International students and Muslim Americans described feeling stunned and vulnerable after the Trump administration announced a temporary ban on refugees and travelers from Muslim-majority countries. Some were even reconsidering their plans to stay.
Rep. Elise Stefanik: A new voice, but old questions remain
Rep. Elise Stefanik is a rising star in the Republican Party. This in-depth profile, reported during the 2016 campaign, examined her political brand, her background on military issues, and the tight rope she often walked when it came to Donald Trump.
Economy
NPR: U.S. towns along Canadian border are caught up in tariff dispute
With Canadian tariffs set to kick in on a range of products, business leaders in a New York border city worried that a decades-old economic partnership with Canada could unravel, costing U.S. jobs. Featured on NPR’s Morning Edition.
WBUR: New York's plan to raise minimum wage could hurt nonprofits
Nonprofits have little control over their own budgets. They rely on state funding, donations, and grants for their revenue. As New York State considered raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, nonprofits worried about how to fund that increase.
Can $10M change the game for the North Country’s small downtowns?
Towns across New York State received $10 million under former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s downtown revitalization plan. Experts and residents questioned whether the program’s emphasis on flashy new facilities was really the best way to reinvigorate local economies.
Health
Transom.org: Marathon bombing survivors struggle with emotional wounds
A mother and son who narrowly escaped the Boston Marathon bombing grapple with the aftershocks of post-traumatic stress. This short audio documentary was featured on Transom.org, HowSound, and WCAI’s The Point. It was part of an hourlong special that won First Place awards from the New England Associated Press and PMJA.
NPR: Veterans groups fight stigma associated with Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C, a potentially lethal liver disease, is common among people who served in the Vietnam War. There is a cure, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs now gives that cure to veterans for free — but many never get tested. A nationwide public health campaign seeks to change that. This story was featured on NPR’s Morning Edition.
GOP health bill could mean thousands in Northern New York lose insurance
In May of 2017, Republicans in the House of Representatives made a step towards repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. They passed a health bill that rolled back protections for people with preexisting conditions and scaled back federal support for the Obamacare Medicaid expansion. Northern NY residents share their reactions.