- Senator Bernie Sanders on Sunday called fellow Senator Kyrsten Sinema a “corporate democrat.”
- Sanders on CNN’s “State of the Union” said Sinema had “sabotaged extremely important legislation.”
- Sinema announced on Friday that she was leaving the Democratic Party to become an independent.
Senator Bernie Sanders on Sunday lambasted Senator Kyrsten Sinema as a “corporate Democrat” who derailed critical legislation in the upper house after the Arizona lawmaker announced on Friday that she would be quitting the Democratic Party to become independent.
Sanders, a Vermont independent who was a leading Democratic presidential candidate in 2016 and 2020, said during a appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” that Sinema’s decision was based on his “political aspirations”.
“I think the Democrats over there aren’t very keen on someone who helped sabotage some of the most important laws that protect the interests of working families and the right to vote and so on,” said Sanders told co-host Dana Bash. “So I think it really has to do with his political aspirations for the future in Arizona.”
When Bash asked Sanders if Sinema had the “courage” to oppose special interests, he disagreed, lumping her into a category with moderate Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who was responsible. of the collapse of President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better legislation. .
“No, she doesn’t,” the senator said. “It’s a Democratic enterprise that actually, along with Senator Manchin, sabotaged extremely important legislation.”
Sinema revealed on Friday that she was quitting the Democratic Party, infuriating much of the party, as they still celebrated the hard-fought victory of Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia.
Warnock’s victory will provide Democrats with a 51-49 majority in the next session.
Sinema will retain his committee assignments through the Democratic Party going forward, meaning the 51-49 balance will hold despite his move to become an independent.
The Senate is currently split 50-50; The Democrats secured a midterm seat with the victory of Senator-elect John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.
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