SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) is up for re-election in 2018. (Photo: Third Way Think Tank/flickr/cc)
'Traitor': West Virginia Democrat Manchin Under Fire for Pro-Sessions Vote
"Manchin, by voting Sessions, voted for race-based voter suppression. He's a traitor to his voters and the party."
Feb 09, 2017
Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia is under fire Thursday for his Wednesday evening vote to confirm Jeff Sessions as U.S. attorney general.
According to Guardian political reporter Ben Jacobs, Manchin "flash[ed Sessions] a thumbs up on his way in the chamber," before breaking with his party to cast the only Democratic vote in favor of Sessions' confirmation.
The social media outcry against the conservative Democrat, who is up for re-election in 2018, was swift:
\u201cExtremely tempted throw my family in the car, move to West Virginia and spend the next 23 months doing everything possible to unseat Manchin\u201d— Sally Kohn (@Sally Kohn) 1486610717
\u201cI know Joe Manchin represents WV, but protecting civil rights must be bedrock principle of Dem Party. Disgusted by his vote for Sessions\u201d— Ari Berman (@Ari Berman) 1486600625
A number of observers noted that Manchin's daughter, Heather Bresch, was chief executive of the pharmaceutical company Mylan when it dramatically hiked the price of EpiPens. The matter is currently being investigated by the Department of Justice, which Sessions will now helm.
\u201cJoe Manchin daughter is being investigated by the justice department.. \ud83e\udd14\ud83e\udd14 Jeff Sessions will make it go bye-bye.\n\nAnymore more questions??\u201d— Rob (@Rob) 1486604269
Manchin was also among a handful of Democrats to vote "yes" on the confirmation of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Deirdre Fulton
Deirdre Fulton is a former Common Dreams senior editor and staff writer. Previously she worked as an editor and writer for the Portland Phoenix and the Boston Phoenix, where she was honored by the New England Press Association and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. A Boston University graduate, Deirdre is a co-founder of the Maine-based Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective and the PortFringe theater festival. She writes young adult fiction in her spare time.
Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia is under fire Thursday for his Wednesday evening vote to confirm Jeff Sessions as U.S. attorney general.
According to Guardian political reporter Ben Jacobs, Manchin "flash[ed Sessions] a thumbs up on his way in the chamber," before breaking with his party to cast the only Democratic vote in favor of Sessions' confirmation.
The social media outcry against the conservative Democrat, who is up for re-election in 2018, was swift:
\u201cExtremely tempted throw my family in the car, move to West Virginia and spend the next 23 months doing everything possible to unseat Manchin\u201d— Sally Kohn (@Sally Kohn) 1486610717
\u201cI know Joe Manchin represents WV, but protecting civil rights must be bedrock principle of Dem Party. Disgusted by his vote for Sessions\u201d— Ari Berman (@Ari Berman) 1486600625
A number of observers noted that Manchin's daughter, Heather Bresch, was chief executive of the pharmaceutical company Mylan when it dramatically hiked the price of EpiPens. The matter is currently being investigated by the Department of Justice, which Sessions will now helm.
\u201cJoe Manchin daughter is being investigated by the justice department.. \ud83e\udd14\ud83e\udd14 Jeff Sessions will make it go bye-bye.\n\nAnymore more questions??\u201d— Rob (@Rob) 1486604269
Manchin was also among a handful of Democrats to vote "yes" on the confirmation of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
Deirdre Fulton
Deirdre Fulton is a former Common Dreams senior editor and staff writer. Previously she worked as an editor and writer for the Portland Phoenix and the Boston Phoenix, where she was honored by the New England Press Association and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. A Boston University graduate, Deirdre is a co-founder of the Maine-based Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective and the PortFringe theater festival. She writes young adult fiction in her spare time.
Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia is under fire Thursday for his Wednesday evening vote to confirm Jeff Sessions as U.S. attorney general.
According to Guardian political reporter Ben Jacobs, Manchin "flash[ed Sessions] a thumbs up on his way in the chamber," before breaking with his party to cast the only Democratic vote in favor of Sessions' confirmation.
The social media outcry against the conservative Democrat, who is up for re-election in 2018, was swift:
\u201cExtremely tempted throw my family in the car, move to West Virginia and spend the next 23 months doing everything possible to unseat Manchin\u201d— Sally Kohn (@Sally Kohn) 1486610717
\u201cI know Joe Manchin represents WV, but protecting civil rights must be bedrock principle of Dem Party. Disgusted by his vote for Sessions\u201d— Ari Berman (@Ari Berman) 1486600625
A number of observers noted that Manchin's daughter, Heather Bresch, was chief executive of the pharmaceutical company Mylan when it dramatically hiked the price of EpiPens. The matter is currently being investigated by the Department of Justice, which Sessions will now helm.
\u201cJoe Manchin daughter is being investigated by the justice department.. \ud83e\udd14\ud83e\udd14 Jeff Sessions will make it go bye-bye.\n\nAnymore more questions??\u201d— Rob (@Rob) 1486604269
Manchin was also among a handful of Democrats to vote "yes" on the confirmation of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.