Manchin torches Dems on energy: 'Broke their word to the public'
Manchin has reportedly not yet decided on a 2024 re-election bid
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee Chairman Joe Manchin, D-W.V., called out his party leadership for backing out of a key aspect of the Inflation Reduction Act he notably forged with them last year.
On "Hannity," host Sean Hannity noted how Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and President Biden essentially promised further energy projects and incentives affecting Manchin's state, which helped garner his key vote.
Hannity said Biden more recently "went along with the climate alarmist cult" and broke his promises to Manchin regarding batteries and green energy issues.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Manchin warned that in the time since, Russian President Vladimir Putin has "weaponized" energy resources and that America is at a disadvantage as it is no longer energy independent, as it was for a short time under President Trump.
Sen. Joe Manchin, left, and President Biden. (REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz | REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)
"Basically, they broke their word to the American public," he said of Democratic Party leaders.
"And what happened was I had an opportunity to write a piece of legislation: The total cost of the bill was $687 billion over ten years… and $384 billion went directly to energy… which would give us energy security."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In a lengthy write-up on his official Senate website, Manchin said instead of implementing the Inflation Reduction Act as intended, "unelected ideologues, bureaucrats and appointees seem determined to violate and subvert the law to advance a partisan agenda that ignores both energy and fiscal security."
He specifically cited the purported redefining of "domestic energy" to increase "clean energy spending to potentially deficit-breaking levels."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}From left to right, Sen. Joe Manchin, Sen. Chuck Schumer and President Biden at a bill signing. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
On "Hannity," Manchin added that the U.S. cannot be the superpower of the world without the pursuit of energy independence and energy security – and that the Inflation Reduction Act as-written was intended to bring the country to that goal.
"Now, they've disregarded that completely, what was agreed upon, and they know exactly what we agreed upon – energy security. And you have not heard the [term] ‘energy security’ out of their mouth since it was passed. It's all about environment," he said.
Manchin said if the Biden administration does not adjust course, he would potentially vote for a repeal of the act he profusely supported.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In terms of the debt ceiling fight, Manchin called for Biden to break his 82-day refusal to meet with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., to hammer out a deal before the estimate deadline in June.
It is Biden's "responsibility" to negotiate with the legislature, he said, adding that McCarthy's likely has at least a foundation for Manchin and his party to work with.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"There's a lot of things I don't agree with, but you have to be able to start negotiations," Manchin said.
"[Biden] can't play Russian Roulette with the debt ceiling. That is going to be disastrous for our economy and all of our people," he said.
"The American people, all segments of our society, are just fed up with all of this back-and-forth, calling each other names, fighting and arguing – this is the United States of America, not the Divided States. And you've got to get in a room and work out the differences for the sake of this country."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}As for whether Manchin would ever consider leaving the Democratic Party, he told "Hannity" he has broken with the party many times – if he cannot go back to the Mountain State and "explain it" when he votes for legislation.
Instead, the onetime governor struck an independent tone:
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Party should not make who you are as a person. You should be a person committed to this country and your state first before the parties take control of you. And they're not going to take control of me."
While he has not reportedly formally announced his intention to seek reelection in 2024, Manchin has already garnered one potential Republican opponent with another waiting in the wings.
Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.V. of Charles Town, the former executive director of the National Journalism Center, previously announced a bid, while Gov. Jim Justice -- the billionaire owner of the Greenbrier resort, and a Republican who famously left the Democratic Party during a Donald Trump rally in Huntington – will reportedly launch one in coming weeks according to several reports.