BOUGIE: Arizona senator feeds her Michelin-starred taste with donors’ dollars

BOUGIE: Arizona senator feeds her Michelin-starred taste with donors' dollars

Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) has a taste for some of life’s finer things and is willing to spend others’ hard-earned money to satiate herself.

Sinema accepted plenty of corporate cash, but her small-time voters will not be happy to hear that the now-Independent senator spent $100,000 on private jets, luxury hotels, limos, and an astonishing amount on fine wines.

Somehow, Sinema spent nearly $20,000 on wine alone since 2021.

She might try a few Bud Lights instead.

But that is not her style according to the New York Post, which noted that Sinema spent time at:

[T]he most exclusive vineyards on the West Coast including Promontory Winery in Napa Valley, Auteur Winery in Sonoma and Argyle Winery in the Willamette Valley, according to election filings.

Nice places, especially when someone else picks up the check.

Sen. Sinema also ensures that her meals are perfectly balanced and, well – perfect, while on the road. She must have a Michelin Guide app:

During that same timeframe, Sinema spent nearly $10,000 in campaign funds at posh restaurants like the Russian Tea Room in New York City and Sketch in London’s Mayfair neighborhood, as well as restaurants in Barcelona, Paris and Miami.

It is possible that Sen. Sinema doesn’t have a driver’s license? She doesn’t like cabs.

Sinema spent $45,000 on chauffeurs since 2019, including paying $4,000 for a luxury car service in New York over a single day. 

Lest anyone get the idea that any of this is normal for “big time” senators, be assured, it’s not.

Thomas Jones, president of the American Accountability Foundation called this an “outlier,” and said:

 “There’s a decent number of fundraiser type events at nice restaurants and steak houses but Sinema’s spending appears outside the norm. Donors generally want candidates spending their money on winning their races – not on expensive meals and fancy destinations.”

Donors also tend to prefer that a Senator stay within the party that elected her, or – at least, Democrats do.

All the right people took notice:

News of her spending habits won’t help Sen. Sinema, who will face stiff competition in a general election.

Arizona turned blue recently in statewide races and independents will be turned off enough by her corporate cash habits. Now this.

A former aide to Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)  hammered the embattled and emboldened (evidently) Senator, saying, “Sinema will have a lot of funding from Wall Street.

Of course, that is something of a turn-off to everyone in this environment.”

Right.

We should be so lucky.

jmiciak@yahoo.com, @JasonMiciak, SUBSTACK: DOMINION GOT PAID BUT THE DAMAGE TO DEMOCRACY CANNOT BE UNDONE.

Jason Miciak

Jason Miciak is an associate editor and opinion writer for Occupy Democrats. He's a Canadian-American who grew up in the Pacific Northwest. He is a trained attorney, but for the last five years, he's devoted his time to writing political news and analysis. He enjoys life on the Gulf Coast as a single dad to a 15-year-old daughter. Hobbies include flower pots, cooking, and doing what his daughter tells him they're doing. Sign up to get all of my posts by email right here: