‘Senator Sinema Is Wrong’: Bernie Sanders Pushes Back on Colleague Blaming Progressives for Obstruction

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) rebuked his colleague, Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) for accusing him and others of being responsible for President Joe Biden’s infrastructure agenda facing roadblocks in Congress.

As Sanders appeared on ABC’s This Week to talk about the infrastructure package and the reconciliation bill that Democrats are pursuing in Congress, Jon Karl turned the conversation toward Sinema, who opposes the massive spending push alongside her fellow moderate, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV). Karl especially focused on Sinema’s most recent statement where she effectively accused progressives of holding the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act “hostage” to a larger bill by not holding a vote on it, which she decried as an “ineffective stunt.”

Canceling the U.S. House vote on the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act denies Americans millions of new good-paying jobs and hurts everyday families.

Full statement ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/BM7hrUL3KK

— Kyrsten Sinema (@SenatorSinema) October 2, 2021

Asked for his response, Sanders answered that “I think Senator Sinema is wrong.”

“The president of the United States has said it, Speaker of the House [Nancy] Pelosi has made it clear, Majority Leader of the Senate [Chuck] Schumer has made it clear,” Sanders said. “Both of these bills are going forward in tandem. We’ve got to pass them both. I voted for the infrastructure bill, it is an important bill.”

Sanders went on by arguing in favor of the impact the spending bill will have on jobs, infrastructure, and other fronts.

“We’re not just taking on or dealing with Senators Manchin or Senator Sinema,” Sanders said. “We’re taking on the entire ruling class of this country.”

Watch above, via ABC.