Minority leader in the Senate Mitch McConnell
MORE (R-Ky.) Said on Tuesday that Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.) Told him directly that she would not support ignoring the legislative filibuster by 60 votes.
McConnell’s revelation, made during a speech, comes after he indicated Monday night that he would agree to a power-sharing deal with Majority Leader Charles Schumer
Chuck SchumerMcConnell: Power-sharing deal could go through after Manchin, Sinema returned the filibuster Justice watchdog to investigate if officials wanted to interfere with the fallout from the Capitol uprising: A PATRIOT Act 2.0? LAKE (DN.Y.) to get ahead in the Senate, where each party’s caucus has 50 seats.
“She’s against ending the legislative filibuster,” McConnell said Tuesday, referring to Sinema.
“Our colleague informed me immediately last night that she would not change course under any circumstances,” he added.
When Sinema’s office was reached, it confirmed that the GOP leader called the Arizona Democrat on Monday night and “she confirmed to him what she has been saying publicly for a long time – that she is against eliminating the legislative filibuster.”
Both Sinema and Sen. Joe Manchin
Joseph (Joe) ManchinMcConnell: Power-sharing deal can go ahead after Manchin, Sinema returns filibuster Budowsky: A Biden-McConnell state of emergency summit Manchin pledges not to vote to kill Filibuster ‘under any circumstances’ MORE (DW.Va.) reiterated publicly on Monday that they would not support the abolition of the legislative filibuster by 60 votes. Democrats would need the support of their full 50-member caucus to get rid of the long-standing rule, meaning opposition from either Senators would not allow Democrats to move forward.
A fight over the filibuster kept the Senate’s organizing resolution in limbo for days after McConnell demanded that an agreement to protect the filibuster be included in the power-sharing deal with Schumer – a demand rejected by Democrats.
McConnell announced Monday night that the power-sharing deal could now go ahead following the comments from Manchin and Sinema. Schumer did not directly address the comments of the two Democratic senators on Tuesday.
“I’m glad we are finally able to get the Senate going. My only regret is that it took so long because we still have a lot to do,” said Schumer.
Democrats are under a lot of pressure to ignore the legislative filibuster, which is warning progressives and a growing number of Democratic senators to stand in the way of health care legislation, democracy reform, and voting rights, among other top priorities.
McConnell argued Tuesday that getting rid of it would cause “ immediate chaos, ” especially in a 50-50 senate.
“It would mess up Biden’s presidency over a power grab that the president has warned against for decades and still is against,” he said.
Updated at 12:42 PM