Sen. Mike Lee: I encourage Sen. Joe Manchin to switch parties
The Utah senator said, 'Joe Manchin absolutely should leave the Democratic party'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, discussed the ongoing conflicts between Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and his fellow party members in Congress.
On "Sunday Night in America," host Trey Gowdy brought up recent rumors about Manchin switching parties to become an independent in light of conflict with his fellow Democrats. Last week, Manchin denied those rumors but admitted that he discussed becoming an independent with his Democrat colleagues.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The only thing that was ever said that we've ever talked about if I'm an embarrassment to my, my Democratic colleagues, my caucus, the president being the Democratic leader of the Democrat Party, Chuck Schumer and all them," Manchin said. "I said me being a moderate centrist Democrat, if that causes you a problem let me know and I'd switch to be an independent, but I'd still be caucusing with Democrats."
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 06: Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) speaks to reporters outside of his office on Capitol Hill on October 06, 2021 in Washington, DC. Manchin spoke on the debt limit and the infrastructure bill. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
While Manchin wouldn’t say whether he plans to switch parties soon, Gowdy saw some sense in the argument.
"Honestly, why wouldn’t he? Joe Biden didn’t carry a single county in West Virginia. Joe Manchin has nothing in common with the squad, so why would he vote like the squad?" Gowdy asked.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lee also supported the idea of Manchin switching parties.
"There is still plenty of time. He could still switch parties if he wanted to. I encourage him to do so. There’s no reason why he belongs with the party of inflation, why he belongs with the party of lawlessness, why he opted to remain with the party that’s harassing him and intimidating him and belittling him at every turn just so they can fundamentally remake the American economy and American society. Joe Manchin absolutely should leave the Democratic party and I look forward to embracing him when he joins our caucus," Lee said.
Gowdy also questioned what expectations can be had on Manchin if Biden did not carry a single country in West Virginia. Lee argued that the progressive members of Congress only see Manchin as a vote to make America more socialist.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}US Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN)(2R), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) (L), and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) (R) hold a press conference, to address remarks made by US President Donald Trump earlier in the day, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC on July 15, 2019. - President Donald Trump stepped up his attacks on four progressive Democratic congresswomen, saying if they're not happy in the United States "they can leave." (Getty Images)
"What they see here is a chance to make America a little more socialist or a lot more socialist. What they see here is if they belittle him and intimidate him enough that somehow he’ll relent. That’s, of course, not going to happen," Lee explained.
Gowdy then switched gears to discuss vaccine mandate efforts by the Democrat party, including President Biden. Lee denounced efforts to enforce vaccines from the president, calling it "the most excessive abuse of presidential federal overreach" in nearly seven decades.
"Because the president has not had the decency to issue the order, so there’s nothing to sue on. We don’t even know the precise legal theory on which he’ll rely. Sooner or later, he’s going to have to do this, but in the meantime, he’s relying on corporate America, corporations with more than 99 employees to do his culling for him, to do his dirty work for him. Many of whom are putting these people on an unpaid administrative leave so that they can’t even get unemployment," Lee said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}President Joe Biden delivers an update on the COVID-19 response and vaccination program, in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus, Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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Lee ended saying "That’s sick and wrong and the President of the United States should be ashamed of himself. And if he’s going to do this, he could at least have the decency to do it rather than threatening to do it and thereby bypassing the accountability of the courts."