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GOP opposition to Jan. 6 commission provides new wedge against Manchin

28 May 2021
 Dan Ackermann

Republican opposition to a commission to investigate the Capitol riot provides a new wedge for Democrats to pressure Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) to soften his opposition changing the filibuster rule. A Senate vote on the commission, expected Thursday, was pushed back to Friday.

Why it matters: Manchin is furious that Republicans aren’t supporting the commission. And some Democrats hope that the issue will cause him to yield on his opposition to ending the filibuster rule, which requires 60 votes for a bill to pass.

  • In this 50-50 Senate, that means 10 Republicans. Under a simple majority, with Vice President Harris breaking the tie, Democrats would be able to pass parts of the Biden agenda — on voting rights, climate and more — that otherwise would die in the Senate.

So far, he hasn't been willing to act on that. Asked Thursday if he would vote to end the filibuster if Republicans blocked the commission, Manchin replied: "I'm not willing to destroy our government, no."

  • But he followed that by saying he was hopeful enough Republicans would come around: "You have to have faith there's ten good people."

If that doesn't happen, Democratic leaders will be able to argue to him that Republicans aren't acting in good faith.

  • The problem for progressive outside groups is they have plenty of money to pressure Manchin. But they can't make credible threats against a unique Democrat in an extremely Trumpy state.

Go deeper: What's the Senate filibuster and why change it?

Transcripts show George Floyd told police "I can't breathe" over 20 times

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Newly released transcripts of bodycam footage from the Minneapolis Police Department show that George Floyd told officers he could not breathe more than 20 times in the moments leading up to his death.

Why it matters: Floyd's killing sparked a national wave of Black Lives Matter protests and an ongoing reckoning over systemic racism in the United States. The transcripts "offer one the most thorough and dramatic accounts" before Floyd's death, The New York Times writes.

The state of play: The transcripts were released as former officer Thomas Lane seeks to have the charges that he aided in Floyd's death thrown out in court, per the Times. He is one of four officers who have been charged.

  • The filings also include a 60-page transcript of an interview with Lane. He said he "felt maybe that something was going on" when asked if he believed that Floyd was having a medical emergency at the time.

What the transcripts say:

  • Floyd told the officers he was claustrophobic as they tried to get him into the squad car.
  • The transcripts also show Floyd saying, "Momma, I love you. Tell my kids I love them. I'm dead."
  • Former officer Derek Chauvin, who had his knee on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes, told Floyd, "Then stop talking, stop yelling, it takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to talk."

Read the transcripts via DocumentCloud.