Chuck Schumer Brokers Senate Democratic Peace Deal With Bernie Sanders Over Drug Bill
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If it’s true that “blessed be the peacemakers,” Chuck Schumer deserves a halo.
Schumer, the chamber’s minority leader, is spending some time smoothing things over after Bernie Sanders blasted 13 of his fellow Democrats for voting against a drug reimportation bill that could bring in cheaper medicines from Canada.
“You cannot do that if you’re in the leadership,” one unnamed Senate Dem fumed to The Hill, referring to the meeting and comments by Sanders, who is chair of outreach for the Senate Democrats. After the Sanders bill was defeated – despite the backing of a dozen GOP senators — Sanders told USA Today that Democratic peers who voted against the bill, including New Jersey’s Cory Booker and Virginia’s Mark Warner didn’t “stand up to powerful special interests like the pharmaceutical industry.”
Schumer responded to the contretemps by calling in them and Sanders for a makeup session, where Sanders was said to have apologized for any political fallout, but stood by his comments. According to The Hill, the gathering was meant as a gentle signal to Sanders that he might play nicer with his colleagues if he wants to be a player.
Contact Daniel J. Solomon at solomon@forward.com or on Twitter @DanielJSolomon
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