Thune Criticizes Jayapal Over Filibuster Stance

Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD), poised to lead Senate Republicans, delivered a sharp rebuke of Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) for her candid admission of Democrats’ partisan approach to the filibuster. Jayapal, chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, openly acknowledged during a press conference that she would eliminate the Senate rule if her party controlled the White House and Congress but would oppose its removal under Republican leadership.

“Am I championing getting rid of the filibuster now when the Senate has the trifecta? No,” Jayapal stated. “But had we had the trifecta, I would have been, because we have to show that government can deliver.”

Thune didn’t mince words as he took to the Senate floor to highlight the blatant hypocrisy.

“In other words, one rule for Democrats, and one rule for everybody else,” Thune said. “Democrats should be able to do whatever they want; Republicans, not so much.”

He emphasized that the filibuster serves a vital role in preserving democracy, as it requires bipartisan compromise and ensures that all Americans have representation in the legislative process not just those in the majority.

“If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the last few years, it’s that Democrats firmly believe that the only legitimate government is a Democrat government,” Thune remarked.

Thune drew attention to the Democrats’ broader pattern of attacking institutions they cannot control, particularly the Supreme Court.

“This court sometimes issues decisions Democrats don’t like, and therefore, in their view, the court is somehow illegitimate,” Thune said. He warned that the left’s efforts to undermine trust in the judiciary and other institutions reflect an alarming disdain for voters who disagree with them.

The progressive campaign to delegitimize conservative rulings, he argued, is rooted in the same mentality that drives the push to eliminate the filibuster when it suits Democrats’ agenda.

Thune reassured Americans that the filibuster remains safe under Republican leadership, rejecting the Democrats’ power grab and their selective rule-changing. He reaffirmed the GOP’s commitment to protecting the integrity of Senate procedures that prioritize consensus over one-party dominance.

“Americans deserve better than a system manipulated to serve the whims of one party,” Thune concluded.

With Thune preparing to lead Senate Republicans, his defense of the filibuster signals a critical stand against Democratic overreach. The rule remains a safeguard against unchecked power a principle Democrats conveniently forget when it doesn’t benefit them.

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