Republicans caught on camera telling activists to thank Sinema and Manchin for not touching filibuster: ‘Without that we’d be dead meat’

Video footage shows GOP lawmakers thanking Democrats on filibuster (Undercurrent/Twitter/@lawindsor)

A group of Republican lawmakers were caught telling activists to thank Democratic Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin for refusing to reform or eliminate the congressional filibuster.

In footage reported by the Undercurrent on Friday, Republicans Andy Biggs, Rick Santorum, and Byron Donalds were secretly filmed telling activists to thank the two Democrats for refusing to abolish the filibuster.

The rule requires a 60-vote majority for bills to pass the US Senate, and has been frustrating Democrats who accuse Ms Sinema and Mr Manchin of supporting a Republican blockade on US president Joe Biden’s agenda.

Mr Biggs was recorded telling activists that Democrats were “pushing as hard as they can” to enact that Democratic agenda, but fortunately for Republicans, Ms Sinema and Mr Manchin were steadfast in their support of the filibuster.

“Fortunately for us, the filibuster’s still in effect in the Senate,” said Mr Biggs, in video tweeted by the Undercurrent’s Lauren Windsor on Twitter on Friday. “Without that we would be dead meat and this thing would be done.”

He continued: “But thank goodness for Sinema and Joe Manchin”.

Another Republican, Mr Donalds, also appeared in the footage telling activists to thank the two Democrats for refusing to abolish the filibuster rule.

“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,” said Mr Donalds, a Florida Republican.

He added that he “likes it” when Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez calls out her colleagues for backing the filibuster, and told activists: “This is great for me”.

Rick Santorum, a former Republican senator, was also at the event and told activists: “Call Joe Manchin and say thank you, seriously”.

The West Virginia Democrat, a political rarity in the staunchly conservative state, wrote in an op-ed for The Washington Post in April that “there is no circumstance in which I will vote to eliminate or weaken the filibuster,” despite it threatening to derail Mr Biden’s agenda, including a bill on infrastructure and voting rights.

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The revelations from the Undercurrent follows footage of Republican congressman Chip Roy telling activists the party wanted “18 months” to slow down the Democrat’s agenda ahead of the 2022 midterms.

The Independent has reached out to Mr Biggs and Mr Donalds’ offices for comment.

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