Schumer says Sinema can keep committee assignments after leaving Democratic Party

[In It to Win It]

The Hill

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Friday announced he will let Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.) keep her committee assignments after she dropped her affiliation with the Democratic Party and said she would identify as an Independent.

Schumer added Sinema’s decision will not affect Democratic control of the Senate’s committees, including the power to issue subpoenas and discharge legislation without Republican support — powers the Democratic majority gained after winning the Senate runoff in Georgia this month.

“Sen. Sinema informed me of her decision to change her affiliation to Independent. She asked me to keep her committee assignments and I agreed,” Schumer said in a statement.

“Kyrsten is independent; that’s how she’s always been. I believe she’s a good and effective Senator and am looking forward to a productive session in the new Democratic majority Senate,” he said. “We will maintain our new majority on committees, exercise our subpoena power, and be able to clear nominees without discharge votes.”

[Walleye]

1. That is extremely important. But, how far can we trust her on this?

[Kaleva]

2. What will you do if she loses your trust?

[Walleye]

4. Piss and moan, of course.

Sorry about that, true not much I can do about any of it.

[Kaleva]

5. That's what we'd do here!

[GreenWave]

11. Some here hope Maury Povich says

[brooklynite]

8. As much as you trusted her before...

She'll vote to give Democrats control of the Senate.
She'll vote to approve Biden nominees.
She'll vote for a lot of Democratic policy bills.
She'll vote against ending the filibuster.
She'll vote against restrictions on the business interests that support her.

All now is as it was before.

[Walleye]

10. Well that's good, I feel a lot better about the whole thing, thanks

[WarGamer]

16. You're quoting Star Trek TOS... "The City on the Edge of Forever"

All is as it was before.

[wackadoo wabbit]

21. Nice catch!

That's one of my all-time favorite Star Trek episodes — of any of the ST series. It was written by Harlan Ellison, one of my favorite writers, which undoubtedly explains why it was so good.

[WarGamer]

22. love love love it... my #1 Fave.

I can watch it several times per year.

[wackadoo wabbit]

24. Thanks for the idea!

I don't know why, but I haven't rewatched it in probably a decade. I'm definitely going to locate it and watch it again now.

That episode had a depth that other episodes, in all of the STs, just generally haven't had. (And, also, it was about the nature of time and timelines, which has always fascinated me.)

[WarGamer]

25. Yes, do it!!

I first watched ST TOS during the mid 70's re-runs.

It became a PART of my life.

Throughout my teenage years, the 80's... at like 10PM it would come on. I'd watch every night. At a friends house, at home... wherever.

I see TOS as kind of like a mentor, maybe a social guide to growing up. It really taught a lot of life lessons and IMHO pushed compassion and understanding of others. We all wanted to be Spock. We wanted logic to rule our life. Then we all wanted to be Kirk and get the girl.

I've literally seen every episode hundreds of times.

Over COVID, I re-watched from Season 1-3. Every night, one episode. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

1980's music was the "soundtrack of my teenage years" and ST TOS was my film.

[wackadoo wabbit]

26. I'm absolutely going to!

Back in the day I watched TOS so many times that I could literally know which episode was coming on within the first 10-15 seconds. My late husband thought that I had some sort of weird superpower.

Actually, I think it'll be fun to watch them all (not just "The City on the Edge of Forever" ) again.

TOS introduced me to philosophy, specifically Stoicism. (From Spock, of course.) I actually bought a copy of Marcus Aurelius's Meditations when I was in high school, so that I could learn more about it.

Looking back, I wonder if that's why I ultimately wound up as a philosophical Taoist. Stoicism is similar to Taoism in more than a few ways.

I think we could all do a lot worse that using Star Trek as a guide to correct living.

[WarGamer]

28. that's fantastic... agree completely.

[Celerity]

27. ---

[WarGamer]

29. that's the one!!

[onenote]

23. Exactly. Despite handwringing in the media and here, her decision is a nothing burger.

As it was, the 2022 elections made her less consequential than she was, not because Warnock won, but because Sinema no longer can prevent Democratic-bills from becoming law since the Republicans getting control of the House will do that.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

3. That's the smart play by Senate Majority Leader Schumer.

So long as she supports the party caucus.

[In It to Win It]

6. Agreed

I've digested it. It's fine as long as she continues to caucus with us and vote with us. She still votes with us an overwhelming majority of the time. If she continues to do that... cool.

[Buckeyeblue]

7. Not much is going to happen this congress but...

We need the ability to confirm judges without delay. And we need the ability to hold investigations. I don't care if she stays on committees.

[Cha]

9. ML Schumer is Exponentially

a better person than what's her name.

Will she still support Pro Choice & LGBTQ?

[Johnny2X2X]

12. Phew

Well this puts it to rest. We have a 51-49 advantage. Schumer confirmed that.

[Mister Ed]

17. I *think* that may mean we have to stop beating her up here on DU now, as per the Terms Of Service.

But it was nice to be able to vent our true feelings about her in this past day or so. I even took a whack at her myself.

[honest.abe]

13. So I assume they made some agreement she would caucus with Dems.

If so then its fine. We have Bernie, Angus and now Ms Cinema. It can work out.

[Johnny2X2X]

14. Yeah. That was probably worked out before she announced

Schumer is a pro, he knows what’s on the line. Controlling the committees gives Dems subpoena power which is huge for the next 2 years. Also makes judges getting formed more easily and quickly.

51-49! Huge deal.

[Rhiannon12866]

15. Excellent point! Thanks!

[Peregrine Took]

18. Sigh...was it ever thus?? n/t

[quakerboy]

19. Awesome. Let's just hand the r's a senate seat

Ugh

[Mr. Evil]

20. All she had to do was support Democratic policies and legislation.

It would have guaranteed her an easy reelection. But, no! She had to play stupid games with Uncle Joe (Manchin, not Biden). Well, we all know what happens when you play stupid games. You win stupid prizes. Like utter defeat in the next election. I do not believe that she will split the Democratic vote in Arizona in 2024. No self respecting Democrat will vote for her against a formidable real Democrat.

She's showed us her hand. All we have to do is run with it. A candidate that will adhere to Democratic values, promote policies and vote on legislation that basically insures that our standard of living and quality of life is better today than it was yesterday will destroy her in 2024. The splitting of the Democratic vote paranoia is just that, paranoia.

She doesn't have the power, much less the record to run, on to combat that. She might siphon off some republican votes but, Democratic voters are much more savvy than that. Democratic Arizonans see her for what see is. An attention whore who's more enamored with her celebrity than good governance.

[lees1975]

30. She wants to be an independent

let her senate minority leader pick the committees for her.

Oh, that's right. Independents don't have a senate minority leader.

Well then, Kyrsten, too bad. Sit around and twiddle your thumbs while the committees meet.