Bernie Sanders Points To Donald Trump Tweet In Support Of $2,000 Stimulus Checks

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday pointed to Donald Trump’s tweet in support of $2,000 checks for Americans as he argued for a vote on another wave of coronavirus aid checks, The Daily Caller reported.

“Nobody here will disagree with Trump more times than I have, and yet here is what the Leader of the Republican Party says. He says $2000 ASAP,” Sanders said on the Senate floor before pointing to an image of the president’s tweet in support of the package.

The former presidential candidate added that he and his allies are simply asking for a vote on the proposal.

“What is the problem?!” he continued.

Sanders’ remarks came following Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s decision to block unanimous consent for a boost in stimulus check value to $2,000 from the current $600. McConnell later proposed legislation that includes $2,000 checks but tied it to a repeal of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. This provides protection for social media platforms — a move Trump and many of his Republican allies have pushed for.

According to Sanders, McConnell did not implement the add-ons with the interests of the American people in mind.

“Do you think that all over America people are saying, ‘My God, we have to repeal Section 230 of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, my God, that is a major national priority?’ Nobody even knows what that is.”

McConnell is allegedly trying to force Democrats to make a difficult decision, and also allow Georgia’s GOP Senate incumbents — Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue — to back $2,000 checks ahead of the state’s runoff elections, which will determine if Republicans maintain control of the upper chamber. Notably, Loeffler and David Purdue have both come out in support of the head of state’s calls for $2,000 checks.

As reported by Politico, Sanders revealed on Monday that he planned to filibuster an override of Trump’s defense bill veto unless McConnell allows the upper chamber to decide on the legislation for $2,000 direct payments.

“The Vermont independent can’t ultimately stop the veto override vote, but he can delay it until New Year’s Day and make things more difficult for the GOP,” the publication claimed.

Sanders and Trump — who Vice said are typically “bitter foes” — have formed an unlikely alliance against McConnell. Trump has echoed progressive calls for higher-value stimulus checks, which has put him on Sanders’ side on increasing coronavirus relief. In response, McConnell has suggested tying the $2,000 checks to issues the president has expressed support for, including repealing Section 230 and investigating allegations of voter fraud.