Manchin discusses Comey, health care

May 11--Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., huddled with the West Virginia press via phone Wednesday afternoon to offer his thoughts on a few current topics: Health care reform, the firing of the FBI director and the release from prison of former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship.

Health care

The American Health Care Act, the House bill to repeal and replace Obamacare, is in the hands of the Senate, and Manchin has reservations.

"It's very bothersome, very troubling that you could pass a piece of legislation before it's scored," he said. Scoring is the cost estimate by the Congressional Budget Office. Without a score, it's unknown how much Democrat support it might receive.

"I'm concerned about people in jeopardy," he said. In 2018, 14 million people are projected to lose their insurance under the ACHA. Subsidies and tax credits will be cut -- $3,000 for the average West Virginian, he said, $11,000 for older residents.

"In our state, we get slammed extremely hard," he said; 68,200 residents would lose Medicaid in 2018.

He prefers repair-and-fix to repeal-and-replace, he said. Whatever happens in the Senate, "I don't think it's going to be quick." Probably a couple of months, perhaps the rest of the year.

James Comey

President Trump fired beleaguered FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday.

"It was a total shock and surprise," Manchin said.

Republicans and Democrats both have had beefs against him -- regarding the Hillary Clinton investigation and Russian election hacking probe.

"It was difficult to continue on in best of conditions," Manchin said.

But Trump first decided to keep Comey, then suddenly reversed himself. Firing Comey in the midst of the Russian investigation -- Comey just recently requested more resources for it -- makes the timing seem suspect.

"I just truly believe from this day forward, I believe that we need a special independent prosecutor," Manchin said, to make sure the public has confidence the Russian probe is neither a witch hunt nor a cover-up.

Manchin is a member of the Senate Committee on Intelligence, which will be interviewing Comey today. Whatever happens at the White House, he said, the committee will pursue a thorough investigation.

Blankenship

Blankenship on Wednesday completed his one-year sentence for a federal conspiracy charged stemming from the fatal Upper Big Branch (UBB) explosion.

Unrepentant, he issued a series of tweets after his release, maintaining his innocence.

"Free speech was expensive for me but UBB truth had to be told. Nat. gas explosion just days after government/MSHA made miners cut airflow," he tweeted. "I challenge Sen. Manchin to debate UBB truth. A U.S. Senator who says I have 'blood on my hands' should be man enough to face me in public."

Manchin summarized his Blankenship comments in a press release issued at the time of his press call: "Don Blankenship doesn't have to answer to me and he doesn't have to answer to federal authorities anymore, but he does have to answer to the loved ones of the miners who died in his mine for the rest of his life.

"His refusal to accept responsibility for his criminal actions even now only exacerbates these grieving families' pain. The families of the fallen 29 brave miners deserve better, so I hope that Mr. Blankenship chooses to do the right thing and disappear from the public eye."

Manchin said he hopes Congress will pass his bill to increase penalties on coal company executives who fail to provide a safe work environment.

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