Over 60 women who work as Democratic activists in Arizona have signed onto a public demand for the pro-reproductive rights organization known as Emily’s List to call on Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) to reverse her stance on the filibuster. (Emily’s List is a prominent Sinema backer.) As the provisions stand, the Senate’s filibuster rules require that at least 60 Senators in the 100-member chamber agree before moving forward on most bills, and while such a demand could provide for the hypothetical bipartisanship to which Sinema talks about being committed, the reality is that these rules enable Republican obstruction. The Democratic majority can’t do what it was elected to do amid Republican blockades.
In recent days, amid a renewed push by Democratic leaders to get new protections for voting rights passed at the federal level, Sinema yet again reiterated her commitment to the filibuster. In their letter, the dozens of Arizona Democratic activists who banded together against her stance wrote, in part, as follows:
‘After a year of obstructing every major policy of President Joe Biden’s agenda by protecting the Jim Crow filibuster and opposing several key elements of the Build Back Better bill, Senator Kyrsten Sinema has demonstrated that she cares more about protecting the interests of her corporate donors rather than democracy and voters who elected her.’
The activists also referred to the filibuster in the Senate as a “racist, archaic Senate rule that stands in the way of legislation sitting in the Senate that would protect women’s reproductive rights, protect voting rights, raise the minimum wage, advance workers’ rights, act on the climate crisis, prevent gun violence, enact immigration reform, and so much more.” It’s true, of course: the fight to protect voting rights was the most recent spark for debate over the filibuster in the Senate, but a lot more is at stake. Among other points, those behind the letter opposing Sinema also said that “delay is unacceptable.” Check out the letter in full by clicking on the post below:
BREAKING: On day after @KyrstenSinema’s infamous speech defending the filibuster, 70+ Arizona Democratic women leaders release this open letter calling on @EmilysList—Sinema’s #1 contributor—to “immediately make a public demand to Senator Sinema to support ending the filibuster.” pic.twitter.com/6Iy5q9IhwA
— Kai Newkirk (@kai_newkirk) January 14, 2022
It’s not just individuals working at the grassroots level in Arizona who are opposing Sinema’s stance. Raquel Terán — the current chairperson of the Arizona Democratic Party — also issued a statement going against it, saying: “We have spent countless hours organizing and listening to the people of Arizona, and what they want is change. This is not a divisive issue, this is about the future of democracy. Without the protection of voting rights, democracy fails. We are disappointed to say the least that Senator Sinema has chosen to protect an antiquated rule over her constituents.”
Playbook: A person close to Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego said he's gearing up to primary Sen. Kyrsten Sinema in 2024. As progressive groups rally behind Gallego, urging him to 'Run Ruben Run,' Gallego has taken serious steps in recent months. @playbookdc
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 14, 2022
