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Former Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema, who is now an independent, has publicly criticized prominent Democratic leaders for what she describes as an inconsistency regarding the legislative filibuster. Her remarks come in light of recent calls by some Democrats to utilize the filibuster to halt the government’s spending bill.
Sinema pointed fingers at Democratic Representatives including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York, Pramila Jayapal of Washington, and Ro Khanna from California. She accused them of hypocrisy for advocating for the filibuster now, contrasting it with their previous remarks suggesting the abolition of the legislative tool.
On social media, Sinema remarked, “A noticeable change of heart on the filibuster, I see!” This statement followed Ocasio-Cortez’s criticism of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for agreeing to support the spending bill to prevent a government shutdown.
In 2022, Senate Democrats voted to end the filibuster in order to advance President Biden’s legislative priorities. Biden has previously described the filibuster as a relic tied to Jim Crow legislation, denouncing its historical significance. However, both Sinema and then-Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia chose to maintain the filibuster at that time, leading to the collapse of the proposal. Their decision drew significant backlash from fellow Democrats and their respective constituents.
During a recent weekend, Sinema directed her criticism towards liberal constituents pushing for Senate Democrats to block votes on the continuing resolution, which ultimately passed with a 54-46 vote thanks to Schumer and other Democratic votes.
In her social media posts, Sinema referenced historical tweets from Democratic leaders advocating for the end of the filibuster in an effort to expedite legislation safeguarding reproductive rights under Roe v. Wade. This visual evidence reinforced her argument against the current Democratic stance.
Her comments sparked a response from Ocasio-Cortez, who maintained her position. The representative replied, “Still no. In reality, the same Democrats who argue to maintain the filibuster ‘for when we need it’ fail to deploy it when necessary. It seems to only serve to block Democratic policies, not to thwart harmful Republican initiatives. They could have proven us wrong, but instead, they corroborated our concerns.”
Sinema reacted to the ongoing dialogue by underlining how many Democratic Senators once again attempted to filibuster the continuing resolution, despite having previously supported the push to eliminate the filibuster. “Literally zero Senate Democrats support the filibuster. Thirty-eight voted to filibuster the continuing resolution yesterday. Eight who originally voted to abolish the filibuster did not participate in the filibuster. One of the former opponents of the filibuster also chose not to filibuster,” Sinema stated.
Sinema also directed her criticism toward Khanna, sharing an image of his 2021 column that condemned the filibuster. This followed his earlier comments indicating that Schumer sold out the party by not pursuing a filibuster. Sinema quoted from Khanna’s piece, saying, “Stand up for the Constitution and our democracy. #ohlookthefilibuster.”
Additionally, Sinema didn’t hesitate to call out Pramila Jayapal, sharing her past posts that called for the filibuster’s end while noticing her recent demands for the Senate not to concede a vote on the spending resolution. She captioned her screenshot, “Just surprised to see support for the ‘Jim Crow filibuster’ here.”
The former Senator also responded to comments made by Robert Reich, who served as the Secretary of Labor under President Clinton and is now a prominent media commentator. Reich claimed that Democrats face a choice not between normal government functioning or a shutdown, but rather one involving legitimizing Trump’s approach. Sinema shared a screenshot of Reich’s 2022 post criticizing her for voting to retain the filibuster, and she remarked, “Glad to see you’ve joined the filibuster admiration club!”
As the political landscape continues to evolve, the shifting sentiments on the filibuster may have significant implications for both parties moving forward. The ongoing discourse reveals a deepening ideological divide within the Democratic Party, highlighting the complexities surrounding legislative strategies.
Representatives for Reich, Ocasio-Cortez, Khanna, and Jayapal did not immediately respond to requests for comments regarding Sinema’s recent criticisms.
This situation serves as a reminder of the delicate balance within political parties, especially as they grapple with internal divisions while seeking unified fronts on crucial legislation.
