A video showing Republicans praising Democratic Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) for their stance on the filibuster has resurfaced following a failed effort to change the rules of the legislative procedure on Wednesday.
The footage was recorded secretly on June 29, 2021, and shows two GOP members of the House of Representatives discussing the roles Manchin and Sinema are playing in keeping the filibuster.
It was originally circulated by Democratic activist Lauren Windsor last July and was shared again on Wednesday by Nick Knudsen, executive director of DemCast, a nonprofit organization for grassroots activists.
The video was filmed at a Patriot Voices event and shows former Senator Rick Santorum, Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona's 5th district and Representative Byron Donalds of Florida's 19th district.
Biggs told attendees that Democrats were "pushing as far as they can" to pass President Joe Biden's agenda.
"Fortunately for us, the filibuster's still in effect in the Senate. Without that, we would be dead meat, and this thing would be done," Biggs said.
"Then we'd be having a little bit more frantic discussion than we're having today," he said.
"But thank goodness for Sinema and Joe Manchin," Biggs said.
Donalds urged those listening to call the Democratic senators.
"All of you in this room, people at home on Zoom, let me tell you right now, if you want to do one thing to keep the republic afloat, call Joe Manchin's office, call Kyrsten Sinema's office," Donalds said.
NEW: GOP lawmakers gleefully urge activists to call and thank Senators Manchin and Sinema for blocking Biden agenda pic.twitter.com/ohFQaxJNmZ
— Lauren Windsor (@lawindsor) July 9, 2021
Donalds also joked about offering consolation to Manchin and Sinema over criticism they had received from Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, saying: "Hey guys, I'm really sorry you're having to go through that. That's a shame. Nobody should be treated like this."
His comments were met with laughs from those in attendance.
Santorum, who was a U.S. senator for Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2007, urged attendees to "call Joe Manchin and say thank you. Seriously. Call Kyrsten Sinema and say thank you."
Manchin and Sinema joined all Senate Republicans in voting against a change to the filibuster rules that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) had proposed in order to allow voting rights legislation to progress.
The Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act were passed by the House and brought before the Senate as consolidated legislation, but 60 votes were needed to end the debate and proceed to a final vote.
Republicans opposed the legislation and Democrats' attempts to impose a "talking filibuster" failed as Manchin and Sinema refused to vote for a rule change, as had been widely expected.
Uncommon Knowledge
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About the writer
Darragh Roche is a U.S. News Reporter based in Limerick, Ireland. His focus is reporting on U.S. politics. He has ... Read more
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