Today, protesting in front of Kyrsten Sinema’s Phoenix office, Rev. Jesse Jackson was arrested along with William Barber, and it is being reported that the pair were charged with misdemeanor trespass.
Local reporter Brahm Resnik tweeted some videos of the incident.
“NOW Revs Jesse Jackson & William Barber will be arrested and released by Phoenix police in protest outside @SenatorSinema’s Camelback Rd office, per Jackson assistant. Rev. Jesse Jackson emerging from suv after civil rights icon was arrested by Phoenix PD in protest at @SenatorSinema’s district office. Rev William Barber was also in vehicle after his arrest. Protesters were charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass.”
Rev. Jesse Jackson emerging from suv after civil rights icon was arrested by Phoenix PD in protest at @SenatorSinema’s district office. Rev William Barber was also in vehicle after his arrest. Protesters were charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass. pic.twitter.com/g8DHiQ7Uob
— Brahm Resnik (@brahmresnik) July 26, 2021
The protest was organized to pressure Sinema to help end the U.S. Senate filibuster. Currently, the filibuster is stopping Democrats from passing legislation without Republican support. Democrats currently control the House the Senate and the White House giving them quite the edge to pass legislation.
The For the People Act was stopped earlier this year by a 50-50 vote which didn’t allow the bill to come to debate in the Senate. This has lead to many Democrats demanding an end to the filibuster. Sinema has been targeted as she is one of the Democrats who do not want to bring an end to the filibuster but would like to see legislation passed with bipartisan support.
AZ Family reported on the incident:
“Jackson spoke with Arizona’s Family and confirmed that police did arrest him. “Police arrested us, gave us our rights. We are willing to pay the price to help our nation.”
Jackson says that marches are happening all over the country Monday. If Jackson was able to speak with Sinema, he says he would hope to tell her to get on the right side of history and fix some of the civil rights era issues today by helping to change the voting rights act.”
Maupin said that Sinema’s office was closed and locked up. The owner of the property where Sinema’s office is located is privately owned, and the owners were the ones who called the police to remove everyone. The march started at Kachina Park in Phoenix around 9 a.m. and ended at Sinema’s office.
“We are gathering a diverse coalition of progressive individuals to demand that Sen. Sinema vote to end the filibuster and do her part, as our elected Democrat Senator, to restore the Voting Rights Act. The time is always now to do what is right, empower the disenfranchised. The filibuster is very important part of our society, and they need to figure out how to fix it or nix it,” says Maupin.
“We have seen the fruits of regressive politics in Washington D.C. It is time to return to progressive policies that will result in people earning living wages, having affordable housing, and being able to vote without impediments. The Senate Filibuster is being used to obstruct the will of the American people. The filibuster is being used by Republicans to delay forming a more perfect Union. Obstructionist-minded senators should not be allowed to hold peace, prosperity, and equity hostage. The continued refusal to eliminate the filibuster and fully restore the Voting Rights Act is having a direct negative impact on the lives of people of color, the poor, and the working poor. Senator Sinema needs to know this,”
A spokesperson for Senator Sinema’s office provided the following statement:
“The filibuster compels moderation and helps protect the country from wild swings between opposing policy poles. To those who want to eliminate the legislative filibuster to pass the For the People Act (voting-rights legislation I support and have co-sponsored), I would ask: Would it be good for our country if we did, only to see that legislation rescinded a few years from now and replaced by a nationwide voter-ID law or restrictions on voting by mail in federal elections, over the objections of the Senate minority?”
Democrats are furious that Joe Biden hasn’t done more to undo Donald Trump’s legacy. Now they are worried that voter integrity legislation in red and swing states may make it hard for them in 2022 and 2024, but only time will tell. Meanwhile, the border is wide open and Joe Biden isn’t doing anything to stop it.
In fact, it was recently reported that Biden is spending $3 million a day to not build the wall in some areas. Many jobs were lost and immigration via illegal means is through the roof, even during a pandemic. Time will if anything puts a stop to the madness before the United States is even recognizable anymore.
Donald Trump is likely to run again in 2024, but it will be an uphill battle, to say the least. Democrats want to ensure the power they have now does not go away for a very long time.
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