Manchin Deal Falling Apart

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) thought he had a deal with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)--his

vote for the White House’s $739 billion climate change spending and tax hike in exchange for passage of his oil

and gas permitting bill. It doesn’t look like Manchin’s bill will pass the House.

Schumer denied that he double-crossed Manchin, saying that “my leverage is confined to the Senate. As

Majority Leader I can punish Democrats who don’t fall in line. As for the House Democrats, all I can do is urge

them to support the deal. Unfortunately for Sen. Manchin, too many House Democrats hate his guts. Now that

his vote has already been cast for the Inflation Reduction Act they say they don’t need to give him a payoff.”

Rep. Alex Mooney (R-WV) said “Sen. Manchin got taken. He was so eager to side with President Biden that he

shoved spending and tax hikes down America’s throat based on the falsehood that liberals would allow more

domestic oil pipelines. Even a freshman senator should have seen that coming. Manchin’s been in politics for 40

years and in the senate since 2010. He’s failed his constituents and America.”

A spokesperson from Manchin’s office tried to rebut Mooney’s contention by asserting that “the Senator has

always had West Virginia’s best interest in mind. The Inflation Reduction Act delivers for West Virginians and

Americans. He remains confident that his efforts to enact a comprehensive oil and gas permitting reform will be

successful.”

By John Semmens