Meghan McCain is defending Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), calling her a “maverick” after receiving criticism for reiterating her support for the filibuster.
“Same journalists and pundits who go OUT OF THEIR WAY to bring up my Dad and applaud him for his maverick ways are sure spending a lot of energy ripping apart and defaming [Kyrsten Sinema] for being a maverick against her party… No attempt at intellectual consistency anywhere,” McCain tweeted on Tuesday.
Same journalists and pundits who go OUT OF THEIR WAY to bring up my Dad and applaud him for his maverick ways are sure spending a lot of energy ripping apart and defaming @kyrstensinema for being a maverick against her party…
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) June 22, 2021
No attempt at intellectual consistency anywhere.
In an op-ed published by The Washington Post on Monday evening, Sinema defended the filibuster while calling out Democrats who are trying to kill it after using it “just last year,” as IJR reported.
“Once in a majority, it is tempting to believe you will stay in the majority. But a Democratic Senate minority used the 60-vote threshold just last year to filibuster a police reform proposal and a covid-relief bill that many Democrats viewed as inadequate,” Sinema said.
She added, “Those filibusters were mounted not as attempts to block progress, but to force continued negotiations toward better solutions.”
Sinema also said she would “not support an action that damages our democracy because someone else did so previously or might do so in the future.”
The senator received backlash for her position from activists who proceeded to protest outside of her office.
Happening now: Arizona activists are protesting outside Sen. @kyrstensinema’s office to pressure her to change her stance on eliminating the filibuster, a Senate procedural rule that Democrats are expecting Republicans to use to block legislation related to voting rights. pic.twitter.com/YPR2M5vGRA
— Lorraine Longhi 🌵 (@lolonghi) June 22, 2021
Another video on Twitter shows reporters waiting outside of Sinema’s office.
Scene: Sinema’s office right now. pic.twitter.com/G7LJ49ax3R
— Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDNews) June 22, 2021
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) has also reiterated his support for the filibuster.
“I’d make it harder to get rid of the filibuster. I’m supporting the filibuster. I’m going to continue to support the filibuster. I think it defines who we are as a Senate,” Manchin said.
When asked about Sinema’s arguments on the filibuster, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said, “If Mitch McConnell believes that he will get even the tiniest advantage from removing the filibuster in the future, he will do it, regardless of what Democrats have done in the past.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) responded to a question from Fox News about Sinema’s arguments.
“I think that in this moment in American history, when there are coordinated efforts to undermine American democracy and take away the right of people to vote, the United States Congress has got to act and act decisively,” Sanders said.
He added, “And if there is no Republican support to protect the rights of people of color, young people, people with disabilities to cast a ballot, the United States Senate has got to act and if it takes 50 votes and the vice president, that’s what it takes.”
Republicans used the filibuster to block Democrats’ voting rights bill on Tuesday.