Five military veterans on a board advising Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema on policy issues quit in protest of her obstruction of President Joe Biden’s agenda, The New York Times reports.
The veterans in a letter obtained by the Times slammed Sinema for backing the filibuster while opposing Biden’s Build Back Better plan.
“You have become one of the principal obstacles to progress, answering to big donors rather than your own people,” the group said. “We shouldn’t have to buy representation from you, and your failure to stand by your people and see their urgent needs is alarming.”
Sylvia González Andersh, one of the veterans who signed the letter, said she regrets supporting Sinema’s election.
“Democrats were out desperately trying to help her win the seat, and now we feel like, what was it for?” she told the Times. “Nobody knows what she is thinking because she doesn’t tell anybody anything. It’s very sad to think that someone who you worked for that hard to get elected is not even willing to listen.”
New ad targets Sinema:
The vets are featured in an upcoming ad by the group Common Defense, which has placed a seven-figure ad buy to pressure Sinema on the Build Back Better plan.
Andersh, who is featured in the ad, specifically called out Sinema’s opposition to a proposal to allow Medicare to negotiate cheaper prescription drug costs.
“You left us holding the bag, saying you were going to do something about Big Pharma,” Andersh told the Times.
Several other groups have already launched efforts to raise money for a potential primary challenger to Sinema, who has seen corporate donations skyrocket in recent months. She is not up for reelection until 2024.
Sinema statement:
A spokeswoman for Sinema told the Times that the senator and her team had engaged in “many” policy discussions with the advisory council.
Sinema said in a statement that she would “always remain grateful for these individuals’ service to our nation.”
“While it is unfortunate that apparent disagreement on separate policy issues has led to this decision,” she said, “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.”
