Progressive activists showed up to an Arizona wedding officiated by Sen. Krysten Sinema (D) to protest her opposition to Democrats' massive spending plans, prompting the bride and her mother to plead with demonstrators to stop 'ruining' the event.
Sinema was officiating the wedding for her personal friend last weekend when protesters arrived at the venue and began chanting while holding signs that included phrases like, "Sinema Betrays Democrats" and, "We voted for you — shouldn't you vote for us?" according to a video of the event posted to YouTube on Oct. 24.
Sinema spokesperson Hannah Hurley told Tuscon.com in a statement that the senator "officiated a personal friend’s wedding at which a small group of activists protested during the private ceremony."
The bride confronted the group of protesters at one point, expressing frustration over the disruption of her wedding.
"Thanks for ruining my wedding. I really appreciate it," she said sarcastically. "It's just my wedding. I really wish I could enjoy my wedding without you ruining it."
Later on, the bride's mother appeared in tears to plead with protesters to let her daughter enjoy her wedding day.
"It's my daughter's wedding. Just for an hour — just let her get married, please. This person is not my daughter," she said of Sinema. She requested that the protesters leave for an hour during the ceremony. Some agreed to protest in silence, while one continued to shout toward the venue.
Sinema has been confronted by protesters on numerous occasions this month over her stance on President Joe Biden's Build Back Better agenda.
She was first followed into a bathroom at Arizona State University, where she is also a professor. The following day, she was confronted about the spending bill at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. And the next week, activists questioned her during her participation in the Boston Marathon.
Sinema and West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) have faced criticisms from progressive Democrats over their reluctance to back Biden’s massive spending proposal at its current price tag. And with the Senate majority locked at 50-50, Democrats need every senator in the party to vote in favor of the package to pass it. The two moderate Democratic senators have looked to reduce the plan's cost while also pushing for additional changes.
Democrats initially wanted Biden’s package at $3.5 trillion worth of spending and tax initiatives over the course of 10 years. But after caving to demands from Manchin and Sinema to cut costs, the final price tag could be well under $2 trillion.
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