Speaking to reporters Tuesday in Tucson, Sinema had a short response when asked why she missed the vote. “I had a personal family matter,” she said, without elaborating further. (AP)
By Rafael Carranza | Arizona Republic
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema broke her silence and explained Tuesday why she missed a procedural vote last week to establish a bipartisan commission to look into the U.S. Capitol riot.
On a 54 to 35 vote, Senate Democrats failed to advance legislation to establish the commission to study the events leading up to the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. The majority of Republicans voted against the measure and it failed to clear the 60-vote threshold to overcome a GOP filibuster.
Eleven senators did not vote on the bill, including Sinema, D-Ariz., who was a no-show for the May 28 vote. Her office had declined to explain why she was absent, saying only that “she would’ve voted yes.”
Speaking to reporters Tuesday in Tucson — after touring migrant facilities with Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, earlier in the day — Sinema had a short response when asked why she missed the vote.
“I had a personal family matter,” Sinema said, without elaborating further.
