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U.S. NEWS Monday 24 January 2022
Last straw: Fed-up Arizona Democrats censure Sen. Sinema

By JONATHAN J. COOPER is co-founder of Un-PAC,
PHOENIX (AP) — U.S. Sen. launched last year to orga-
Kyrsten Sinema is growing nize young people in favor
increasingly isolated from of passing voting rights leg-
some of her party's most islation.
influential officials and do- Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Ver-
nors after playing a key role mont independent whose
in scuttling voting rights leg- fundraising and mobiliza-
islation that many consider tion abilities are virtually un-
essential to preserving de- matched on the left, sug-
mocracy. gested he'd support prima-
Leaders of the Arizona ry challengers to Sinema
Democratic Party voted and Manchin.
Saturday to censure Sine- Sinema says the filibuster
ma, citing "her failure to do forces bipartisanship on
whatever it takes to ensure Capitol Hill and ensures that
the health of our democra- the millions of Americans
cy'' — namely her refusal to represented by the minor-
go along with fellow Demo- ity party have a voice. Re-
crats to alter a Senate rule pealing it would lead to
so they could overcome wild swings in legislation
Republican opposition to depending on the party in
the bill. While the rebuke is power, she says.
symbolic, it is striking given Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., speaks before President Joe Biden signs the $1.2 trillion bipartisan "When one party need only
that only three years ago, infrastructure bill into law during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, negotiate with itself, policy
Sinema was heralded for on Nov. 15, 2021. will inextricably be pushed
bringing the Senate seat Associated Press from the middle towards
back into the Democratic the extremes," she said in
fold for the first time in a Senate, Kyrsten has always Sinema supports the Dem- about three dozen young a floor speech last week,
generation. promised Arizonans she ocrats' voting rights legisla- people holding a hunger her most expansive expla-
Donors are threatening to would be an independent tion but steadfastly oppos- strike to protest Sinema nation of her views on the
walk away. Several groups voice for the state — not es passing it by changing and Manchin. Gallagher issue.q
are already collecting for either political party," or eliminating the Senate's
money for an eventual Hannah Hurley, Sinema's filibuster rule, which ef- To our reader and clients;
primary challenge, even spokesperson, said in a fectively requires 60 of 100 In connection with the holiday, Betico Croes Day, Aru-
though she's not on the statement before the cen- votes to pass most legisla- ba Today will not be published on
ballot until 2024. Young ac- sure vote. "She's delivered tion. On Wednesday night, Tuesday, January 25th, 2022. We will resume our publi-
tivists are holding a second for Arizonans and has al- she joined Manchin and cation on Wednesday, January 26th, 2022.
hunger strike to draw atten- ways been honest about all Republicans to oppose
tion to Sinema's vote. where she stands." a one-time rule change so
The moves offer a preview Hurley repeated her com- the bill could pass with a
of the persistent opposi- ments in response to the simple majority.
tion Sinema will likely face censure. Laphonza Butler, president
within her own party in the Sinema's influence is driven of Emily's List, an important
two years before she next by the Senate's 50-50 split, fundraising group for Dem-
appears on a ballot. The which essentially gives any ocratic women who sup-
independent streak that senator the ability to kill leg- port abortion rights, said in
has given her tremendous islation, an option Sinema a statement that Sinema's
leverage over the agenda has repeatedly exercised. vote "means she will find
in Washington has enraged But she faces political dy- herself standing alone in
many Democrats back namics unlike the other Sen- the next election." She said
home who are intent on ate moderate thwarting the group would not en-
preventing her reelection. Democratic ambitions, Joe dorse her reelection if she
"Any reservoir of goodwill Manchin of West Virginia. doesn't support a path for-
that she had is gone," said Representing a state that ward for voting rights legis-
Rep. Ruben Gallego, an Ar- former President Donald lation.
izona Democrat who may Trump carried by nearly 39 Primary Sinema Project,
challenge Sinema from the percentage points in 2020, which is raising money for
left. Manchin is unlikely to face an eventual primary chal-
Sinema's defenders say a progressive challenger lenge, said it's collected
nobody who's watched who would gain traction. more than $300,000 from
her for the past decade In Arizona, however, Dem- nearly 12,000 donors.
should be surprised by her ocrats are ascendant. Joe "We are quite literally doing
position. She often bucked Biden was the first Demo- everything we physically,
her party in the House, ran cratic presidential can- possibly can in terms of put-
an aggressively moderate didate to carry the state ting our bodies on the line
campaign for Senate and since 1996, and the party is and trying to plead for this
has never wavered in her eager to build on that suc- action because the conse-
support for upholding the cess. That makes it harder quences (of inaction) are
filibuster. for a Democrat to simply far worse than starving or Gilberto Francois (Betico) Croes
"During three terms in the ignore the left here, partic- going to jail or both," said
U.S. House, and now in the ularly in a primary election. Shana Gallagher, one of January 25th, 1938 –November 26th, 1986