Joe Manchin Wants to Protect ‘The Integrity of Our Courts and Legal System’ By Delaying Potential Vote

Ahead of a fight over whether a vote should be held to fill the Supreme Court vacancy, some thought that West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin might side with the Republicans on holding a vote on a potential nominee.

Manchin, however, shot that notion down today, saying that “For the sake of the integrity of our courts and legal system, I do not believe the U.S. Senate should vote on a U.S. Supreme Court nominee before the November 3rd election.”

For the sake of the integrity of our courts and legal system, I do not believe the U.S. Senate should vote on a U.S. Supreme Court nominee before the November 3rd election. My full statement: pic.twitter.com/tniVQFyD0g

— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) September 21, 2020

He said in a statement that he released that it would be “hypocrisy in the highest form” to hold a vote. He believes it would be “simply irresponsible to rush the adequate and proper vetting required of any new candidate to the bench.”

Manchin appeared this morning on the inaugural show of Way Too Early on MSNBC hosted by Kasie Hunt and claimed that he is “as bipartisan as you possibly can be.”

She asked him about the comments that Nancy Pelosi made that she had “arrows in her quiver” and possibly adding more seats to the Supreme Court. Manchin replied that he would do everything he could to “protect the institution.”

He added that he was “sitting in the seat that Robert C. Byrd held for 50 years and there’s no person did more to protect the institution than Robert C. Byrd, he wrote the rules.”