Former ESPN anchor Jemele Hill called Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat, a “power-hungry white dude” after he opposed a voting rights bill being pushed by the democratic party, which he’s part of.
“Record number of black voters show up to save this democracy, only for white supremacy to be upheld by a cowardly, power-hungry white dude. @Sen_JoeManchin is a clown,” Hill tweeted Sunday.
This is so on brand for this country. Record number of black voters show up to save this democracy, only for white supremacy to be upheld by a cowardly, power-hungry white dude. @Sen_JoeManchin is a clown. https://t.co/fCMuyoLer3
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) June 6, 2021
According to The GRIO, the West Virginia senator said he would not vote in favor of the For the People Act, which would expand voting rights, make changes to campaign funding laws, limit gerrymandering and ultimately improve political ethics.
“I believe that partisan voting legislation will destroy the already weakening binds of our democracy, and for that reason, I will vote against the For the People Act. Furthermore, I will not vote to weaken or eliminate the filibuster,” Manchin wrote.
“The right to vote is fundamental to our American democracy, and protecting that right should not be about party or politics. Least of all, protecting this right, which is a value I share, should never be done in a partisan manner,” he added.
Manchin thinks that if only one party decides how voting is done in the country, it would destroy the “binds of our democracy.”
“The truth, I would argue, is that voting and election reform that is done in a partisan manner will all but ensure partisan divisions continue to deepen,” Manchin said of the legislation.
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In an interview with Fox News, Manchin said the Democratic election legislation is too divisive.
“It’s the wrong piece of legislation to bring our country together and unite our country, and I’m not supporting that because I think it would divide us more. I don’t want to be in a country that’s divided any further,” Manchin said.
