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Capitol Hill is currently buzzing about how fast Sen. Joe Manchin, D.W.Va. has fallen into defensive posture over the backroom climate and tax deal he announced last week with Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer. The agreement provides a lifeline to Biden’s long-term “Build Back Better” agenda.
After he announced that he would not support “Build Back Better”, the Biden administration had pushed for, Manchin faced harsh criticism from West Virginia residents.
Fox News Digital spoke to several Senate aides about Manchin’s fear over the backlash. Because of the sensitive nature the negotiations surrounding the overhauled legislation, each of the aides requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation.
“He is clearly defensive in his TV interviews, and he’s getting blasted pretty hard in West Virginia,” one Senate committee staffer said, referring to multiple media appearances by Manchin in which he was sharply pressed over his shifting support.
THE MANCHIN, SCHUMER ‘INFLATION REDUCTION ACT’ IS A FRAUD
Another Senate aide pointed out drips of sweat that Manchin was experiencing while he appeared before the Senate. The aide stated that the interviews speak for themselves.
Another reason for Manchin’s heartburn is that his private dinners with Schumer meant to reach agreement on the bill didn’t include any outreach to other Democrats to ensure there would be unity behind the deal.
Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.), a mysterious senator, also opposed portions of the original “Build back Better” bill, clearly expressed her desire to see changes in the new bill. After the carried-interest tax break that benefits hedge funds and other investment management managers was removed from this bill, Sinema voted in support of the Manchin proposal on Thursday night.
Prior to Sinema signing on to the bill, a senior staff member in one Senate office told Fox News Digital, “Word is that Sinema’s legislative director is going on a vacation to Italy, and that trip hasn’t been canceled.”
Manchin and Sinema were both seen talking privately on Tuesday at the Senate floor. They spoke for around 15 minutes. Reporters only heard that the two had “a nice chat.”
MANCHIN SPEAKS CLOSELY TO SCHUMER LIBERAL DEMOCRATS SWAREN, SANDERS ABOVE PORTRAYAL MODERATE
I-Vt.-based Democratic Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders has made his dissatisfaction with the reduced bill well-known. He previously criticised Sinema, Manchin and their opposition to the original bill. One Senate aide said, “Sanders is trying make the bill as appealing as possible for progressives.”
Manchin’s Republican colleagues in the Senate are also expressing outrage by what they see as a betrayal over his reversal, including Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who has described the Manchin-Schumer bill as “a terrible bill” that will raise the cost of energy.
Manchin was accused of “telling lies” by an exasperated Senate aide during his TV appearances.
Manchin’s communications office panickedly asked reporters this week to not call the Inflation Reduction Act a reduced version of “Build back Better” in its writing. This was to prevent a Manchin meltdown.
A simple majority vote is required for the bill to be passed. This would mean that every Democrat senator must support it, even if all Republicans oppose it.
Fox News Digital reached out for comment to Sinema and Manchin, but was not able to get a reply.
Source: Fox News
