Bernie Sanders blasts Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema as a 'corporate Democrat' who has 'sabotaged enormously important legislation'

• Sen. Bernie Sanders on Sunday blasted fellow Sen. Kyrsten Sinema as a "corporate Democrat."
• Sanders on CNN's "State of the Union" said Sinema has "sabotaged enormously important legislation."
• Sinema on Friday announced that she was leaving the Democratic Party to become an Independent.

Sen. Bernie Sanders on Sunday blasted fellow Sen. Kyrsten Sinema as a "corporate Democrat" who has derailed critical legislation in the upper chamber following the Arizona lawmaker's Friday announcement that she would be leaving the Democratic Party to become an Independent.

Sanders, a Vermont Independent who was a leading Democratic presidential contender in both 2016 and 2020, said during an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union" that Sinema's decision rested in her "political aspirations."

"I think the Democrats there are not all that enthusiastic about somebody who helped sabotage some of the most important legislation that protects the interests of working families and voting rights and so forth," Sanders told cohost Dana Bash. "So, I think it really has to do with her political aspirations for the future in Arizona."

When Bash asked Sanders if Sinema had "the guts" to go up against special interests, he disagreed, lumping her in a category with moderate Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who was responsible for the collapse of President Joe Biden's Build Back Better legislation.

"No, she doesn't," the senator said. "She is a corporate Democrat who has, in fact, along with Senator Manchin sabotaged enormously important legislation."

Sinema on Friday revealed that she was departing the Democratic Party, incensing much of the party, as they were still celebrating the hard-fought runoff victory of Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia.

Warnock's win will provide Democrats with a 51-49 majority in the upcoming session.

Sinema will retain her committee assignments through the Democratic Party going forward, meaning that 51-49 balance will hold despite her switching to become an Independent.

The Senate is currently split 50-50; Democrats picked up a seat in the midterms with the victory of Sen.-elect John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.