Five veterans on Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s (D-AZ) advisory board for Arizona service members quit while publicly dragging the senator over the coals for persistently blocking progressive policies by clinging onto the filibuster and holding up Democrats’ reconciliation package.
“You have become one of the principal obstacles to progress, answering to big donors rather than your own people,” the veterans wrote in a letter published by the New York Times. “We shouldn’t have to buy representation from you, and your failure to stand by your people and see their urgent needs is alarming.”
Excerpts of the resignation letter were read aloud by one of the signatories, Sylvia González Andersh, in a new attack ad by progressive group Common Defense.
Sinema responded in a statement to the Times saying it was “unfortunate that apparent disagreement on separate policy issues has led to this decision,” but “I thank them for their service and will continue working every day to deliver for Arizona’s veterans who have sacrificed so much to keep us safe and secure.”
The Arizona senator has enraged her former allies and supporters as she refuses to get rid of the filibuster (Republican senators’ biggest weapon against passing Democrats’ top priorities, including voting rights) and continually throws a wrench into attempts to pass the sweeping social benefit reforms in the reconciliation bill.
