Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) speaks at George Washington University in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
OAN NEWSROOM
UPDATED 12:50 PM PT – Sunday, July 17, 2022
Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) said Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) is “intentionally sabotaging” President Biden’s agenda. During an interview on Sunday, Sanders called out Manchin for being untrustworthy and not representing the Democratic party.
Sanders claimed Manchin has been talking “nonsense” for the past year. He also claimed the West Virginia Sen. has continued to deviate from the president’s agenda by not supporting tax and climate provisions being proposed by Democrats.
Manchin said he would not support provisions in the bill that increase spending to combat climate change and close tax loopholes. Democrats cannot pass the bill without Manchin’s support in a US Senate that is divided 50-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris serving as a tiebreaker in the event one is needed.
“He has sabotaged the president’s agenda,” Sanders said. “If you check the record, six months ago I made it clear that you have people like Manchin, Sinema (D-Ariz.) to a lesser degree, who are intentionally sabotaging the president’s agenda, what the American people want, what a majority of us in the Democratic caucus want.”
Joe Manchin is someone who is a major recipient of fossil fuel contributions. He’s taken campaign contributions from 25 Republican billionaires. Is he interested in representing the interests of working class people in this country? I don’t think he is. pic.twitter.com/lvuSIejIMW
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) July 17, 2022
Manchin said that he wants to delay any major decisions on the bill because of high inflation. Sanders said Sunday that he wasn’t buying that justification. The Vermont Sen. went on to claim that the people of West Virginia would support the provisions in the bill.
“It’s the same nonsense Manchin has been talking about for a year,” he voiced. “In my humble opinion, Manchin represents the very wealthiest people in this country, not working families in West Virginia or America.”
The feud between Manchin and Sanders has been public since Manchin derailed the Build Back Better Act last year.