smile! you're on camera

Republican lawmakers caught laughing while thanking Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema for keeping the filibuster alive

A newly-released video catches GOP lawmakers praising Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) for effectively blocking President Biden's agenda by refusing to abolish the filibuster, even going so far as to ask conservative activists to "flood" the Democratic centrists with "messages of gratitude," Insider reported on Friday.

The video, taken by Democratic activist Lauren Windsor at a June 29 Patriot Voices event, per Insider, includes appearances from former Republican Sen. Rick Santorum and Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), among others. 

For his part, Biggs concedes that without the filibuster, which has proven itself a huge barrier to much of Biden's agenda, "we would be dead meat. ... But thank goodness for Sinema and Joe Manchin."

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) is shown telling "all of you in this room, people at home on Zoom ... if you want to do one thing to keep the republic afloat, call Joe Manchin's office, call Kyrsten Sinema's office." The Florida lawmaker also admits to using Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) as a pawn in appealing to Manchin, saying "it makes my job easier as a conservative" when AOC goes after the West Virginia senator.

Santorum later echoes Donalds' charge, imploring all attendees to "call Joe Manchin and say thank you. Seriously. Call Kyrsten Sinema and say thank you." He added earlier: "Our constitution was set up to protect who? Minority rights, not the majority rights." Read more at Insider.