The White House responded Wednesday to Democratic West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin intention to block a second administration nominee from assuming office, saying, “We respect our relationship with him.”
Manchin announced Wednesday he will oppose the nomination of Daniel Werfel to serve as Internal Revenue Service Commissioner one day after announcing his opposition to Gigi Sohn‘s nomination to the Federal Communications Commission.
With Democrats Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Dianne Feinstein of California out due to health concerns, Manchin, who is a moderate, serves as a critical vote to award Democrats the majority needed for nominations.
“The president has a long-standing relationship with Senator Manchin that goes back years, certainly over a decade, and we respect our relationship with him… We have been able to deliver for the American people historic, really consequential pieces of legislation and so we appreciate the closeness and how we’ve worked well with Senator Manchin,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
Werfel “is a public and private sector leader who has served under Democratic and Republican administrations … He’s well qualified for this position, and we urge the Senate to confirm him at this incredibly crucial time,” Jean-Pierre added.
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 08: White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during a daily news briefing at the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on March 8, 2023 in Washington, DC. White House Press Secretary Jean-Pierre held a daily news briefing to answer questions from members of the press. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Manchin opposed Werfel’s nomination on account of not being given the “autonomy” to perform the job of IRS commissioner. (RELATED: Sen. Joe Manchin Gears Up To Tank Another Biden Nominee)
“At every turn, this Administration has ignored Congressional intent when implementing the Inflation Reduction Act. First and foremost, the IRA is an energy security bill with clear and direct guidelines to ensure we are able to onshore our supply and manufacturing chains. But instead of adhering to Congressional intent and prioritizing our nation’s energy and national security, the Treasury Department has pandered to automakers and progressive extremist groups and continued to sacrifice the national security of the United States of America. While Daniel Werfel is supremely qualified to serve as the IRS Commissioner, I have zero faith he will be given the autonomy to perform the job in accordance with the law and for that reason, I cannot support his nomination,” Manchin said in a statement.