Looking out for #1

More investigative journalism from Sludge* on Senator Joe Manchin:

Manchin Bailed Out Plant That Pays Millions to His Family’s Coal Company

With the subheadline:

Here's how Joe Manchin made his millions in the waste coal industry

A sample:

From public records, interviews with individuals in the West Virginia coal industry, and reports from environmental advocates, a clearer picture emerges of how Enersystems grew to send millions of dollars in income to Sen. Manchin, who is now worth an estimated $7.6 million and entertains lawmakers on his D.C. houseboat—and holds a crucial vote over the climate policies and voting access bills up for consideration this month in Congress.

It's an excellent article.

Manchin houseboat update

You’ll recall that last week, sources reported on a party for senators on Manchin’s houseboat, the Almost Heaven. (See 2 posts down.) On Friday, the Washington Post followed-up with a story about the houseboat:

Washington’s hottest club is Joe Manchin’s houseboat https://t.co/z8LaQf4IrW

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) August 6, 2021

A sample:

This is the promise of Almost Heaven: Anyone who scores an invite can loosen up for a few hours in a Washington precinct with no candid cameras or nagging aides or nosy reporters, and maybe get to see their colleagues as real people. It’s a place for Hawaiian shirts and shorts (Manchin’s go-to boat attire) instead of suits and ties, where senators dine on pizza from Harris Teeter or pasta platters from Nostra Cocina. Moonshine is available for drinking, and if the gatherings go late you can be sure there will be dancing and singing — and not just patriotic hymns from the likes of Murkowski. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), an Almost Heaven regular, has regaled fellow passengers with “American Pie.” Manchin, who declined to be interviewed for this story, has been known to crank the music and sing along to “SOB,” by Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats, whose chorus begins: “Son of a b----, give me a drink!”

I’m not sure what to make of this story.

Manchin on the state of things

Finally, here is West Virginia's senior senator, earlier today, commenting on the Senate:

.@Sen_JoeManchin: "The United States Senate is not broken. Actually, we're doing fine and we can work together and do much better." pic.twitter.com/7I4oQ8B9z6

— The Hill (@thehill) August 8, 2021

Why does this not make me feel better?

If you are not familiar with Sludge, Media Bias Fact Check describes them as left-of-center with high factual reporting.