Joe Manchin Gives Hard “No” to Another Major Biden Nominee, Likely Killing Nomination

West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin has fought Joe Biden tooth and nail since the President first took office in 2021. Despite being a Democrat, Joe Manchin is a man of profound principle. He does not self-identify as a liberal and eschews the label as often as it is brought up. Unlike President Biden, Manchin does not change on a whim or fancy. He is friends with the President, but he is not afraid to attack the President’s policies. Manchin knows many of Biden’s schemes are radical — including the Build Back Better Act. He votes with his constituents in mind, and West Virginia is a remarkably conservative state. President Trump won nearly seventy percent of the vote in 2016 and 2020. West Virginia did not vote for Senator Manchin to be AOC 2.0. Manchin detests the socialism pushed by his own party, and for good reason. Socialism destroys republics and leaves everyone hungry and wanting more — both literally and figuratively.

In keeping with his principles, Joe Manchin announced Friday he will not vote for Biden’s FDA nominee Robert Califf. Califf had been the Food and Drug Administration commissioner under Former President Barack Obama in 2015-2017. Republicans have opposed his nomination for several reasons. As Roll Call reports, Califf substantially expanded access to aborticides under his tenure. Moreover, several Democrats are opposed to his links to the pharmaceutical industry. The risk of commercial interference in the FDA looms large and needs to be stopped. Manchin himself criticized Califf’s weakness in fighting the opioid epidemic. After narrowly passing a procedural vote 45-49, it remains to be seen whether the Senate will confirm Biden’s nominee or not.

That’s when Senator Manchin closed the door on voting for Califf’s nomination. Joe Manchin stated:

“In the five years since Dr. Califf was confirmed, more than 400,000 Americans and 5,000 West Virginians have died of an overdose … That number is just increasing … Let’s not beat around the bush: Dr. Califf bears a great deal of responsibility for their deaths … The wise Dr. Maya Angelo once said: when someone shows you who they are, believe them. Well, Dr. Califf has shown us who he is … Nothing Dr. Califf has said or done has led me to believe he will operate the FDA any different than in his previous tenure …  ”

Manchin ended by saying: “I will vote no on Dr. Califf’s nomination, and I have never been more profoundly confident in a vote I am going to cast than I am right now”

These are harsh words from Joe Manchin but undoubtedly true ones. Senator Manchin stands with his constituents. Indeed, he likely knows many who are affected by the epidemic. President Biden’s nomination of Califf is an insult to all those Americans who lost their lives to the disastrous effects of these drugs.

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