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Is Kyrsten Sinema a 'covert Republican'? Dem Senator slammed for backing filibuster

Arizona senator Kyrsten Sinema also skipped May 28 Senate vote on whether to establish a bipartisan commission to investigate the Capitol riot

Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema, is at the center of a controversy once again after she reiterated her support in favor of the filibuster. While addressing the media at an event with Senator John Corryn, Sinema said, "It is a tool that protects the democracy of our nation. Rather than allowing our country to ricochet wildly every two to four years back and forth between policies, the idea of the filibuster was created by those who came before to create comity and to encourage bipartisanship and work together."

Amid the mounting pressure in the Senate for the elimination of the filibuster, Sinema's stance came as a shock to many. She further emphasized the same, saying, "To those who say that we must make a choice between the filibuster and ‘X,’ I say, this is a false choice." Alongside Joe Manchin, she happens to be the only other Democratic Senator to stand against the elimination. Sinema had previously stated that she opposes changing rules to ease the process of passing legislation in the Senate. Now, internet users are slamming Sinema, even calling her a 'covert' Republican and a rogue operator within the Democratic Party. Even President Joe Biden called out Sinema and Manchin as "two members of the Senate who vote more with my Republican friends.”

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Is Kyrsten Sinema a covert Republican?

Besides her stance on the filibuster, certain other recent instances prompted netizens to brand the 'woke', openly queer, Democratic Senator as a Republican in disguise. Last week, she missed the procedural vote for establishing a bipartisan commission for probing into the January 6 Capitol riot. It ended being caught up in a GOP filibuster after failing to cross the 60-vote threshold. Sinema later cited 'personal family matter' as her reason for absence without elaborating further. 

In March 2021, Sinema infamously voted against the $15 minimum wage proposed by Biden, by making a shocking 'thumbs-down' gesture in the Senate. "@SenatorSinema, if the filibuster isn't ended (because you and @Sen_JoeManchin refuse to work with other senate Democrats to end it), the Senate won't pass voting rights. And if the Senate won't pass voting rights, our democracy will die," former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich tweeted. Writer Charlotte Clymer wrote, "There are some people who are really angry with Kyrsten Sinema, and I think they're being really unfair. She's arguably the most reasonable Republican in the Senate".

"Beginning to think Senator Sinema is not a democrat, she just posed as one to get the job. Waiting for her to just change parties as a covert Republican operation," tweeted one user. Another user said, "Sinema is dangerous. She's a Republican who has infiltrated the Democratic Party and now sits in the United States Senate. She's a danger to democracy." A third user threw shade at her by tweeting, "It seems Krysten Sinema actually is a Republican but didn’t want to run against others in the GOP primary so she ran as a Dem & yet was backed by the GOP money & dark money pacs. She now answers to GOP which is apparent w/John Cornyn by Sinema’s side during press conference."

The filibuster enabled the Senate Republicans to halt the setting up of a Capitol riot investigative commission. The biggest test for the filibuster is yet to come as the Democrats plan to bring forth the 'For the People' Act soon this month, which would be one of the most important bills on voting and election ethics.