Sanders says it was 'absolutely' appropriate for Sinema to be censured
CNN
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said Sunday it was appropriate for the Arizona Democratic Party to censure moderate Sen. Kyrsten Sinema for her vote against a filibuster carve-out for voting rights, a key priority for Democrats.
"Absolutely it was. On that particular vote that she and (West Virginia Sen. Joe) Manchin cast, we were trying to address the reality that you got 19 Republicans states all over this country who are undermining the foundations of American democracy. Trying to make it harder for people of color, young people, people with disabilities to vote," Sanders told CNN's Dana Bash on "State of the Union." "It is so important that we protect American democracy, that we stand up to the big lie of Trump and his allies that he really won the election. And they undermined that effort. I think what the Arizona Democrats did was exactly right."
On Saturday, the Arizona Democratic Party's executive board announced it formally censured Sinema over her vote to maintain the Senate's filibuster rules, effectively blocking Democrats' voting legislation. Sinema and Manchin were the only two Democrats last week to join all Republicans in voting to maintain the Senate's 60-vote threshold to overcome a filibuster on legislation. Democrats had sought to change the Senate rules so they could pass voting rights legislation with just 51 votes.
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