Sen. Kyrsten Sinema did not reprise her side hustle as a California winery intern: documents

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Sen. Kyrsten Sinema did not reprise her side hustle as a California winery intern: documents
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema interned in 2020 at a California winery. Not so, though, in 2021, according to her latest financial disclosure form.Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
  • Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona Democrat, worked as a wine intern in 2020.
  • She didn't re-up her wine job in 2021, new federal disclosures indicate.
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Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona is out of the California winery business, at least for now.

Sinema reported no wine-related job wages in 2021, according to her annual personal financial disclosure report filed Tuesday with Congress.

Such news would be entirely expected for most any senator. But Sinema isn't most any senator, having earned $1,117.40 in August 2020 from her work as harvert intern at Three Sticks Winery in Sonoma, California.

"Kyrsten worked harvest for Three Sticks Winery, and in accordance with California law, was paid an entry level harvest rate," a Sinema representative, Hannah Hurley, told Insider at the time. Hurley added that the Senate Ethics Committee preapproved Sinema's work.

A Sinema representative could not immediately be reached for comment on the latest disclosure.

Three Stick Winery describes its harvest internship as a two-week job for people "passionate about wine, detail-oriented, excited to work hard, and have a positive attitude."

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It says interns "will assist in all facets of harvest work including cleaning and sanitizing equipment, sorting fruit, punchdowns, making basic additions and managing fermentations according to winemaker instructions, barrel work, and other winery-related tasks."

Winemaker Ryan Prichard told Insider that "Kyrsten was extremely hardworking and was a fantastic part of our team."

Sinema didn't end her relationship with Three Sticks Winery entirely after he internship, however. In August 2021, her re-election campaign purchased a "wine and a virtual tasting kit" from the winery in August 2021, according to federal records.

Sinema did work one side hustle in 2021, earning an "approved teaching fee" of $22,964.93 at Arizona State University, according to her disclosure.

She also reported an education loan balance of between $15,001 and $50,000.

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Sinema has become a pariah among many of her fellow Democrats for her idiosyncratic policy positions, which include her refusal to help kill the Senate filibuster that's preventing liberals from acting on any of several Biden administration priorities, from voting rights to abortion rights.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema did not reprise her side hustle as a California winery intern: documents
Gallego for Arizona, Rep. Ruben Gallego's campaign committee, sponsored Facebook ads criticizing Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a fellow DemocratFacebook

Rep. Ruben Gallego — a fellow Arizona Democrat and potential primary challenger to Sinema in 2024 — even sponsored Facebook advertisements on Tuesday that chide Sinema.

"Tell Congress — and Senator Sinema — it's time to pass legislation codifying Roe v. Wade as the law of the land and no filibuster by ANY Senator should stop it," said the ad, paid for by Gallego's campaign committee.

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