Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) handed the Biden administration a win with reports that the Democrat “swing” vote will support reported eco-terrorist Tracy Stone-Manning to lead the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
Manchin’s office confirmed on Monday night that he will support Stone-Manning’s confirmation in the Energy and Natural Resources committee vote set for later this week.
NEW: @Sen_JoeManchin WILL vote for @StoneManning to run the Bureau of Land Management! Announcement comes as a committee showdown is set for Thursday to advance her nomination.
— Emma Dumain (@Emma_Dumain) July 19, 2021
The White House is also standing behind Stone-Manning's nomination even after it was revealed that she was involved with a tree-spiking incident.
The White House stands behind eco-terrorist Tracy Stone-Manning's nomination to be BLM director pic.twitter.com/kiavYHjpwV
— Scott Sloofman (@ScottSloofman) July 19, 2021
Republicans are united in opposition to Stone-Manning’s nomination.
"Ms. Stone-Manning has made false and misleading statements in a sworn statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (Committee) regarding her activities associated with an eco-terrorist cell whose tree spiking in Idaho’s Clearwater National Forest in 1989 put lives at risk," the committee Republicans wrote to President Biden. "We believe that Ms. Stone-Manning’s false and misleading statements, as well as her extremist activities, disqualify her from serving as Director of this important agency. As you are aware, the BLM manages one in every ten acres of land in the United States, and approximately thirty percent of the nation’s minerals. The BLM also manages close to 65 million acres of forests and woodlands across twelve western states and Alaska. Any individual who leads this important agency must have the faith and trust of the American people. Ms. Stone-Manning has violated this trust."
With Manchin's support, Stone-Manning will receive a vote in committee later this week.