Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) on Wednesday sounded off on President Donald Trump, nominating a Supreme Court justice to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Manchin suggested in an interview with “Fox & Friends” on Fox News Channel that Trump should wait before nominating someone to fill the vacancy due to the little time remaining in Trump’s first term. He added he would feel the same way if it a Democrat president were trying to push a nominee through.
“We look at history, and this is going to be a precedent-setting,” Manchin argued. “And it’s a tough situation. We should be waiting. If I use the words of all my … Republican colleagues with Merrick Garland — let the people decide. It’s an election year, let them decide, but especially within 42 days to go.”
The West Virginia congressman said he wants to “work in a bipartisan way” when it comes to threats made by Democrats to “pack the court” as a means of retaliation.
“If you looked at my record, I’m sure you have, I’m the most bipartisan person in the Senate,” Manchin stated. “I voted for 161 of President Trump’s judges. So, I have been there bipartisan. I want to work in a bipartisan way. It comes down to that, Brian. Here is what happens: If you look back when Harry Reid exercised the nuclear option, which did away with the 60 vote threshold, I think every Democrat should evaluate how did that work for us? Has that been a good decision? So, basically going down the same path, I will make every decision I can that keeps the Senate bipartisan. Simply that.”
He added of packing the court, “I do not believe that would help anybody, basically. No one is working together. So, if you have 11 or 13, it’s going to flip the other way no matter who comes in power. So, why would you go down that path?”
Follow Trent Baker on Twitter @MagnifiTrent
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