Senator Joe Manchin, Democrat of West Virginia, used to be considered somewhat conservative. He certainly sucked up to Donald Trump a lot, as West Virginia is one of the most pro-Trump states in the nation. But now that Trump is out and Biden is in, Manchin is looking to change horses to get a better deal from those Democrats who just several short months ago he routinely disdained. Such is the moral courage of Joe Manchin. As such, he’s been given his first assignment.
FNC: “West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin says removing Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, over their objections to the 2020 presidential election results should be ‘a consideration.’
Sadly, much of the media and many members of the Washington establishment want to deceive Americans into thinking those who raised concerns incited violence, simply by voicing the concern. That’s false. And the allegation itself is corrosive and dangerous. https://t.co/drhsK54MzQ pic.twitter.com/rEk9G5DOo5
— Senator Hawley Press Office (@SenHawleyPress) January 13, 2021
In an interview Friday on PBS’s ‘Firing Line,- Manchin said the senators’ insistence on objecting to Pennsylvania’s Electoral College votes even after supporters of President Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol was “totally unconscionable” and triggering the 14th Amendment is now an option. The third section of the amendment states that no lawmaker holding office ‘shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.’ Congress may ‘by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability,’ the section states.”
Manchin does not want to expel Hawley or Cruz from the Senate for aiding those who assaulted the Capitol. He wants them gone because they dared to bring up election irregularities. The assault on the Capitol is just a convenient backdrop Democrats can now use at the drop of a hat to rationalize anything they want.
“That those people should never hold public office, they should never have the public microphone, they should never be allowed to be in a position of power or of decision-making, or purpose, because they’re going to serve themselves,” Manchin said.
“Would you support, senator, the removal of Hawley and Cruz through the 14th Amendment, Section 3?” the show host asked.
“Well, they should look, absolutely,” Manchin said, referring to the Senate. “I mean, basically, that should be a consideration…Ted’s a very bright individual, and I get along fine with Ted. But what he did was totally outside the realm of our responsibilities or our privileges that we have…That they think they can walk away and say ‘I just exercised my right as a senator?’ Especially after we came back here and after they saw what happened…I want to see all of those people that made the objection and stuck with their objection … were you sending out fundraising requests while this was going on — the insurrection to our Capitol — tell me that.”
Hawley responded, “Some wondered why I stuck with my objection following the violence at the Capitol. The reason is simple: I will not bow to a lawless mob, or allow criminals to drown out the legitimate concerns of my constituents.”
This piece was written by David Kamioner on January 17, 2021. It originally appeared in DrewBerquist.com and is used by permission.
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