President Joe Biden recently dismissed the claims that Democratic Sen. Krysten Sinema was harassed or chased by progressive activists who followed her into the bathroom regarding a debate on his $3.5 trillion infrastructure package. He went on to say that it was “a part of the process” and didn’t really seem to mind that people are crossing the line to promote his message, even if it means following a person into the bathroom of their workplace.
The incident occurred at the Arizona State University in Phoenix where the senator worked. Progressive activists followed and filmed Sinema as she entered a bathroom stall at the University, questioning why she refuses to pass Biden’s Build Back Better package. They specifically pointed to parts of the package that promote “human infrastructure” and provide a pathway to citizenship for many illegal immigrants. They followed the senator into the bathroom, waited outside of the stall, and continued blasting and filming her as she washed her hands.
While Sinema did not engage with the activists who were filming her the whole time, she later slammed the incident and their actions as “unacceptable behavior.” She said that several individuals disrupted her class at the Arizona State University by deceptively entering a locked, secure building to film her and her students without their permission. She shared that she has met with the group on numerous occasions and that the incident was “not legitimate protest.”
“I don’t think they’re appropriate tactics but it happens to everybody,” Biden responded to reporters about the incident, before letting out a laugh.
Another moderate Democrat opposing the spending package is Sen. Joe Manchin, who has also been harassed by activists while on his houseboat in Washington, DC. Biden simply reiterated that it was “a part of the process” and that the only people it doesn’t happen to are those who have Secret Service standing around.
Sinema pointed out how elected leaders are supposed to foster an environment that services disagreements among policy without raising the temperature in political rhetoric or “creating a permission structure for unacceptable behavior.”
“In the 19 years I have been teaching at ASU, I have been committed to creating a safe and intellectually challenging environment for my students. Yesterday, that environment was breached. My students were unfairly and unlawfully victimized. This is wholly inappropriate,” Sinema said.
White House press secretary was asked if the president had ever been chased into a restroom, but she only danced around the question and the “protection of the freedom to protest” and speak out against the democracy. If she’s going to protect the freedom to protest, then she should also be protesting the rights of the Capitol protesters as well.
Psaki went on to say that the teaching environment at ASU had been “breached” and that the situation was completely inappropriate and unacceptable. She didn’t mention the reason why the senator had been chased into the bathroom in the first place.
“I think the context of what happened here is important, despite the fact that of course, the president stands for the fundamental right of people to protest to object or criticize, as they often do outside of the gates of the White House,” Psaki said.
First, Rep. Maxine Waters told people to get in other people’s faces and encourage protesters to interrupt those in public. Now, even Democrats are being followed into the bathroom by their own members and the President is simply shrugging his shoulders. It’s all a part of the process.
