Manchin had openly lashed out at fellow Democrats and Biden for not banning the import of Russian oil.
Rumors about Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, flipping over to join Republicans surfaced on social media after he was seen sitting on the Republicans’ side of the House chamber. The incident took place during U.S. President Joe Biden’s first State of the Union address on Tuesday night. Manchin had openly lashed out at fellow Democrats and Biden for not banning the importation of Russian oil in wake of the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war crisis. The Democrat from West Virginia was spotted sitting on the side of the House chamber traditionally reserved for Republicans instead of sitting with his own party’s members. Manchin, who was the only Senate Democrat to sit with Republicans, was seen sitting next to GOP Sens.
