The brave maverick from Arizona seems to be feeling the heat:
Amid ongoing frustration among progressives over Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s (D-AZ) reluctance to specify a topline or explain her issues with the reconciliation bill, the senator’s communications director issued a statement refuting the notion that she has not detailed her views to the White House and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
“Senator Sinema said publicly more than two months ago, before Senate passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill, that she would not support a bill costing $3.5 trillion,” John LaBombard, Sinema’s communications director, said. “In August, she shared detailed concerns and priorities, including dollar figures, directly with Senate Majority Leader Schumer and the White House. Claims that the Senator has not detailed her views to President Biden and Senator Schumer are false.”
LaBombard went on to claim that both the White House and Schumer’s office are “fully aware” of Sinema’s “priorities, concerns, and ideas.”
“While we do not negotiate through the press – because Senator Sinema respects the integrity of those direct negotiations – she continues to engage directly in good-faith discussions with both President Biden and Senator Schumer to find common ground,” LaBombard said.
Lol. Apparently, she doesn’t like the fact that everyone in the country who’s paying attention are scratching their heads wondering what in the hell she’s thinking. Makes her look just a tad feckless.
We still don’t know what she’s thinking about this bill, of course, but we now know that she responds to the kind of pressure she’s been under this week. Brave Mavericks say “bring it on.” I have to wonder if someone finally pointed out to her that being a pariah in her own party may not be the best path to greater power since the GOP will kick her to the curb the minute they find it useful, which is the minute her re-election campaign begins. Even switching parties won’t change that.