The outgoing senator was an exemplar of everything that’s wrong with money in politics.
by Basav Sen, The Hill
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced recently that he won’t seek reelection in 2024, but he hasn’t ruled out a potential third-party presidential campaign.
For climate advocates especially, Manchin’s career embodied the incredibly corrosive influence of fossil fuel money in politics. But solving that problem will take a lot more than one senator stepping down.
The outgoing lawmaker reportedly received more fossil fuel industry campaign money in the last cycle than any other federal legislator — and is himself a coal millionaire. Worse still, he leveraged his perch as the chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to enact policies benefiting his corporate donors and himself.
Manchin was the architect of a provision in the Inflation Reduction Act requiring oil and gas leasing on public lands and waters as a condition for any renewable energy leasing. He championed provisions in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that subsidize risky, unproven technologies such as carbon capture and storage and hydrogen energy, which greenwash continued fossil fuel production and use.
Recent Posts
Everything You’ve Been Told About Lethal Injection Is a Lie
Take Action Now Death by drugs is brutal—and designed for political optics. Christa Pike’s failed execution pulled back the curtain.By Arianna…
British Support For Israel Is Shattering
Take Action Now There is not a single member of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office who believes that Israel, under any leadership, would allow a…
I’ve Covered Death Row Cases for Nearly a Decade. What Happened to Christa Pike Wasn’t an Anomaly.
Take Action Now Several states have faced questions about the competence of their execution teams as major medical organizations have opposed…
Angie Nixon Says the Fight for Black Voting Power Demands Elected Officials ‘Get Louder’
Take Action Now As Black Floridians confront shrinking representation and political disillusionment, Nixon says the moment demands persistence.By…