Democratic senator Kyrsten Sinema has become one of the most controversial figures in Congress, and that’s saying something. She has long touted herself as someone who can reach across the aisle, but in an age when almost all Republicans colleagues are intransigent Trumpists, that’s become a quality does more harm than good. She refuses to kill the filibuster, and she got heat for the flamboyant and bizarre way she voted down a bill to increase the minimum wage.
Sinema also, along with West Virginia senator Joe Manchin, made a big show of trying to “implore” their GOP colleagues to vote to launch the Jan 6. commission, which would examine what led to the failed MAGA coup that kicked off 2021 and which she herself had called “ciritical.” That didn’t work, to the surprise of no one aside from perhaps Sinema and Manchin. But even Sinema herself may not have been convinced: As per azcentral, she was a no-show for the vote on Friday.
No reason was given, so perhaps she did have a good excuse — although if she did, she also maybe would have provided that when asked by the press. Her spokesperson, when pressed, merely said “she will be entering into the Congressional record that she would’ve voted ‘yes.’” So consider it a kind of phantom vote for a bill that died 54-35, failing to get enough Republican support.
When news broke that Sinema wasn’t even there to vote, people were pissed.
WHYTHE FUCKDID KYRSTEN SINEMASKIP THEJAN 6 COMMISSIONVOTE??
— Jake Lobin (@JakeLobin) May 29, 2021
Wow, Kyrsten Sinema didn’t even bother to show up to vote for the #January6thCommission
What could possibly have been more important than saving our democracy?
— Lindy Li (@lindyli) May 28, 2021
Every promise Kyrsten Sinema ever made as a candidate, she is breaking as a Senator.
A more faithless, duplicitous, betraying piece of political flotsam, I have never encountered.
— Pam Keith, Esq. (@PamKeithFL) May 27, 2021
This is a friendly reminder that, if there is a bill you really like that passed the House, that Biden supports, but that only has 48 supporters in the US Senate, then your beef is not with “The Democrats.” Your beef is with Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema.
— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) May 26, 2021
Lisa Murkowski thought the 1/6 commission was important enough to show up and vote to protect democracy.
Kyrsten Sinema did not.
If it was a sport, I’d be calling for a trade.
— Pam Keith, Esq. (@PamKeithFL) May 28, 2021
First the filibuster…
Then the minimum wage…
Now democracy.Kyrsten Sinema sure likes giving the FINGER to everything that matters, doesn’t she??
— Jake Lobin (@JakeLobin) May 28, 2021
Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema soon will have big decisions to make
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) May 25, 2021
Some invoked her viral “f*ck off” ring.
Kyrsten Sinema must’ve thought her “fuck-off” ring was too subtle. I think we all get the the message after she skipped the vote on the 1/6 commission.
— BigTeezy (@TNSouthernlib) May 29, 2021
Some called her the Democratic Susan Collins, the GOP’s excuse for an “across the aisle” Republican who also rarely does the right thing.
Tuesday:
Kyrsten Sinema issues a statement with Manchin “imploring” GOP Senators to vote yes on Jan 6 CommissionFriday:
Kyrsten Sinema is one of 11 Senators who doesn’t show up to vote on it at allShe. Didn’t. Even. Vote.
Kyrsten Sinema is the Susan Collins of the Dem party
— Mona (@Monaheart1229) May 28, 2021
(Via azcentral)