why senator joe manchin voted for attorney general

by Richmond Herman 7 min read

What did Joe Manchin do before he was in the Senate?

 · Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), voted to confirm Judge Merrick Garland as U.S. Attorney General. “Today I voted to confirm Judge Merrick Garland as the United States Attorney General. Judge Garland is one of the most honorable, accomplished Americans who holds the rule of law, the foundation of our American ideals ...

Is Joe Manchin a liberal or a Liberal Democrat?

 · Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) today issued a statement on his vote to confirm the U.S. Department of Justice Attorney General nominee, Senator Jeff Sessions. “As a former Governor, I understand how crucial …

What is Joe Manchin’s approval rating?

 · Manchin voted to confirm him,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote in a tweet regarding the senator’s concerns about Haaland. “Yet the 1st Native woman to be Cabinet Sec is where Manchin finds...

How did Joe Manchin win in West Virginia?

 · Manchin’s hesitation to embrace all of Biden’s nominees fits into a general pattern the senator has followed for some time: A moderate Democrat who represents a …

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Joe Manchin was the only Democrat who backed a number of Trump nominees

During the last administration, Manchin also set himself apart when it came to nominees: He was the sole Democrat to back numerous Trump picks, a distinction that’s touted on his Senate website.

Multiple nominees facing GOP opposition now are people of color

As Politico’s Lauren Barron-Lopez and Christopher Cadelago reported, something also causing consternation among Democrats — who have made promoting diversity a priority — is that the Biden nominees who’ve garnered the most pushback (or who face uncertainty about a successful confirmation) are all people of color, and mostly women.

Who is Manchin's other senator?

There’s an obvious political reason for Manchin to take such stances: the heavy Trump tilt of his home state, whose other senator is Shelley Moore Capito, a Trump-supporting Republican.

Why does Manchin's opposition matter?

Manchin’s opposition matters because Biden nominees might end up needing every Democratic vote in the Senate, where the party has the barest 50-person majority, to be confirmed.

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Did Manchin's office respond to a request for comment?

Manchin’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Regardless of the reasons behind his concerns, the optics of the situation have earned him rebukes from some prominent progressives.

Who was the first Indian American to become OMB Director?

Tanden would be the first Indian American person to become OMB Director if she were to be confirmed, Haaland would be the first Native American Interior Secretary, and Becerra would be the first Latino HHS Secretary. Manchin’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Who was the only Democrat to back Trump?

Joe Manchin was the only Democrat who backed a number of Trump nominees. During the last administration, Manchin also set himself apart when it came to nominees: He was the sole Democrat to back numerous Trump picks, a distinction that’s touted on his Senate website.

Is Manchin a Democrat?

Manchin’s hesitation to embrace all of Biden’s nominees fits into a general pattern the senator has followed for some time: A moderate Democrat who represents a state that voted for Trump by nearly 40 points in the recent election, Manchin has long established himself as someone willing to buck his party — often while citing the importance of bipartisanship, as he did when speaking about Tanden’s nomination. “At a time of grave crisis, it is more important than ever that we chart a new bipartisan course that helps address the many serious challenges facing our nation,” Manchin recently said.

When was Joe Manchin elected?

In 1982 , at age 35, he was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates and climbed the ladder from there — state senator, secretary of state, governor, U.S. senator. “Joe Manchin was always a center to center-right Democrat,” said Plante.

Why is Manchin the only senator really using that leverage and thereby impeding the goals of many in his party

He can because no Democratic senator is less beholden to the party than the senior senator from West Virginia. He wants to because he seems to have different goals and political values than many others in the party.

Why is Manchin balking at changing the filibuster rules?

He is balking at changing the filibuster rules in part because he thinks that bipartisanship is possible but neither party is trying hard enough.

When is Joe Manchin's next race?

Manchin’s next race will be in 2024, which is, of course, a presidential election year, so Manchin might be an underdog. And even if Manchin is running and thinks he can win, it’s not totally clear that his moves right now to limit Biden’s agenda are that electorally helpful.

Is Joe Manchin a Democrat?

However he is doing it, though, Manchin’s winning a very red state gives him incredible power. He is a lifelong Democrat and seems committed to the party. But he doesn’t really owe Biden, his fellow Senate Democrats or the formal Democratic Party much of anything — his political brand is really separate from theirs.

Who are the other five Republicans who are in the Manchin family?

Manchin’s freedom from the Democratic Party. Besides Manchin, the other five are Republicans Susan Collins of Maine, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, and Democrats Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Jon Tester of Montana. Even among that group, Manchin stands apart.

Who is most strongly opposed to changing the filibuster rules?

Perhaps most important, Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona are the two Senate Democrats most strongly opposed to changing the chamber’s filibuster rules. That opposition is becoming increasingly controversial within the Democratic Party as Republicans in states such as Georgia enact laws that will likely make it harder for liberal-leaning people to vote and have their ballots counted. Democrats won’t be able to pass laws pushing back on these GOP provisions without changes to the filibuster rules.

Who is the only Democrat to support Brett Kavanaugh?

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin waited until the very last minute Friday to cast his “yes” vote for cloture to advance the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court, and then followed up with another “yes” vote. Manchin stands out as the only Democrat to support Kavanaugh.

What percentage of West Virginia voters want Kavanaugh to be confirmed?

The MetroNews Dominion Post West Virginia, which was taken before Ford’s accusation, found that 62 percent of likely West Virginia voters wanted Manchin to vote to confirm Kavanaugh, while 38 percent wanted him to vote “no.”

Did Manchin support Kavanaugh?

Unlike the rest of the Democrats, Manchin leaned toward supporting Kavanaugh before the Christine Blasey Ford controversy erupted. If he saw nothing in the FBI report to corroborate Ford’s allegation, it’s reasonable to believe Manchin could be comfortable with his original position.

Did Manchin hear from his constituents?

Manchin can argue that he heard from his constituents and he was simply following their lead.

What is Joe Manchin's approval rating?

In September 2021, it was reported that Manchin, 74, suffered another decline in approval ratings after he rejected Joe Biden's Infrastructure Bill which had been causing strain within the Democratic Party.

Is Joe Manchin up for reelection?

Manchin was reelected to Senate back in 2018 but won't be up for reelection until 2024 if he chooses to run.

What did Joe Manchin say about the 'Build Back Better' plan?

On Sunday, December 19, 2021, Senator Manchin announced he will not support Biden's Build Back Better plan, with his decision likely killing the $1.75trillion climate bill.

What is Joe Manchin's net worth?

As of 2022, Senator Joe Manchin has an estimated net worth of $5million, according to Ballotpedia.

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