Manchin Vows to Block Biden Judge Picks

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Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said he will not support President Joe Biden’s judicial picks who don’t have any Republican support.

Manchin, who’s not seeking reelection this fall and will retire from the Senate, spoke to Politico after voting against several judicial picks this week.

“Just one Republican. That’s all I’m asking for. Give me something bipartisan. This is my own little filibuster,” Manchin said. “If they can’t get one Republican, I vote for none. I’ve told [Democrats] that. I said, ‘I’m sick and tired of it, I can’t take it anymore.’”

Manchin expressed a similar sentiment to CNN when asked about Adeel Mangi, Biden’s nominee for the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, who would be the first Muslim-American on a federal appeals court.

“I’m going to be very honest with everybody, if my Democratic colleagues and friends can’t get one Republican vote, don’t count on me. You can’t make it bipartisan, don’t count on me,” Manchin said.

“I’m not leaving this place unless I can practice what I preach and I’m preaching, basically bipartisanship. This is my little way of doing it.”

National Review reported that Manchin’s personal filibuster would prevent Mangi from sitting on the circuit court.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., opposes Mangi’s nomination and the judge has no Republican support.

Mangi sat on the board of an organization (Center for Security, Race, and Rights at Rutgers) that “produced several extremist programs, featured speakers with ties to known terrorist organizations, and sponsored lectures brazenly touting antisemitic themes,” National Review said.

National Review added that Manchin’s bipartisan stance allows him maximum political flexibility as potentially in either a Republican or Democrat administration.

Biden’s judicial picks sometimes earn Republican support, especially from senators prone to cross party lines. They include Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

Manchin said he needs to see more of an effort by the administration to get GOP votes for judicial nominees.

“If you’ve got a decent person you can at least get one. Just go ask Lisa, go ask Susan, even Lindsey,” Manchin said, Politico reported. “Lisa and Susan both are not controlled by just voting party line, I know that. But you’ve got to ask them.”