Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) reportedly steered millions in government funds toward organizations linked to his wife, Gayle Manchin.
Manchin-guaranteed federal funds benefited three organizations where the senator’s wife worked, according to a report from Fox Business.
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The Appalachian Regional Commission, where his wife was appointed as federal co-chairperson in 2021, received $1 billion in funding from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure bill that Manchin played a big role in negotiating.
The Department of Agriculture awarded Bethany College, where Manchin’s wife served as a trustee from 2012 until 2021, with $39.6 million in loans in 2018. In the press release announcing the loans, the school specifically thanked both West Virginia senators and then-Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) for their role in securing the funding.
The agency also gave Reconnecting McDowell, a project Manchin’s wife has been affiliated with since 2011, a $250,000 grant in 2019. Manchin had touted the 2018 Agriculture Improvement Act, which allowed for the grant to be awarded via the Farmers Market Promotion Program.
Manchin is expected to face a difficult reelection bid should he choose to run in 2024. Several Republicans, including Gov. Jim Justice, are considering challenging him. Donald Trump defeated Joe Biden in the state in the 2020 presidential election by a margin of nearly 40%.
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The Washington Examiner reached out to Manchin’s office for comment.
