'I think I'll defeat him': Republican congressman announces bid for Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin's seat



Republican Rep. Alex Mooney of West Virginia announced on Tuesday that he will mount a U.S. Senate bid for the seat currently occupied by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin — the election for the slot will take place in 2024.

Manchin, who has served in the U.S. Senate for more than a decade, told Fox News that he has not yet arrived at a "complete decision" about whether he will seek reelection in 2024.

\u201c.@RepAlexMooney announces that he will be running for the U.S. Senate in 2024. What was his reasoning behind making this announcement? He joins @HoppyKercheval. WATCH: https://t.co/yCFQ3nm85Y\u201d
— MetroNews (@MetroNews) 1668525898

Mooney, who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since early 2015, just won another term in office during the 2022 midterms — he will likely face competition during the GOP primary for the U.S. Senate seat.

"I think I'll defeat him," Mooney said, referring to Manchin during an interview with the Associated Press. "Obviously, he's been around for a long time, met a lot of people, has a lot of money," Mooney said, according to the outlet, which reported that the lawmaker pointed out that by announcing early, he will have additional time to fundraise. "I just want to make my intentions known to anybody, including Joe Manchin himself."

Former President Donald Trump endorsed Mooney in 2021 ahead of the 2022 Republican primary contest in which Mooney defeated fellow GOP Rep. David McKinley of West Virginia. Mooney, who announced his Senate bid during an interview on MetroNews' "Talkline," noted that he would like to meet with Trump and seek the former president's support again.

Manchin supported McKinley over Mooney in an ad prior to the GOP primary earlier this year. "Alex Mooney has proven he's all about Alex Mooney. But West Virginians know David McKinley is all about us," Manchin said in the ad.

Democrats managed to cling to control of the Senate chamber during the 2022 midterms, though it appears likely the GOP will secure a majority in the House.

Right Choice www.youtube.com

Joe Manchin is open to supporting Biden's SCOTUS nominee regardless of philosophical beliefs



On Thursday, Joe Manchin — the controversial moderate Democratic Senator from West Virginia — indicated that he is open to supporting President Biden’s upcoming Supreme Court nominee regardless of the nominee's “philosophical beliefs.”

While on the air with the West Virginia MetroNews’ radio show “Talkline,” Senator Manchin — who voted to confirm two of President Trump’s Supreme Court nominees — said that “you look at the qualifications and if the person’s competent enough to do the job.”

Justice Stephen Breyer will formally announce his retirement from the Supreme Court. Manchin supported 2 of the 3 nominees from Donald Trump. Manchin talks about whether or not he will support President Biden's nominee to @HoppyKercheval. WATCH: https://wvmetronews.com/channel/\u00a0pic.twitter.com/HHp8Mrom7Y
— MetroNews (@MetroNews) 1643297152

Manchin said that his difference in worldview from Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett was not reason enough for him to oppose their confirmation to the Supreme Court. Manchin stated that he did not vote to approve Coney Barret because “it was just hypocritical to put her up one week before [the 2020 general election] after they held up Merrick Garland for a year.”

Noting that the Supreme Court confirmation process has grown increasingly partisan and bitter in recent years, Manchin said that “if we are going to have a rule, then have a rule of civility.”

The host of "Talkline," Hoppy Kercheval, noted to Senator Manchin that whomever the Biden administration nominates to fill Justice Breyer’s vacancy will be “to the left” of the West Virginia senator, to which Manchin replied, “What you want is someone, forget the philosophical beliefs they may have, it’s basically how they have dispensed justice, their record, have they been outspoken, have they been fair – things of that sort.”

“Whoever [Biden] puts up will have experience, and we’ll be able to judge them off of that,” Manchin continued, “But, as far as just the philosophical beliefs, no, that will not prohibit me from supporting somebody.”

Whereas Senator Manchin is concerned with the professional capabilities of President Biden’s nominee, those to his left are primarily concerned with the race and gender of whoever is elevated to the bench. In 2020, while running for President, Biden pledged to nominate a black woman should an opening on the Supreme Court arise during a Biden presidency.

Progressive Democrats took to social media to remind the president of what he promised while working to secure the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination during the 2020 primary.

.@POTUS you promised us a Black woman on the Supreme Court. Let\u2019s see it happen.
— Congressman Jamaal Bowman (@Congressman Jamaal Bowman) 1643218440


Justice Breyer accomplished remarkable things in his tenure with a special talent for building consensus. \n\nNow, I hope\u00a0@POTUS will make good on his promise to make history and nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court.
— Rep. Ro Khanna (@Rep. Ro Khanna) 1643220560

White House press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed the President’s commitment to nominating a black woman to the Supreme Court.

Asked if Pres. Biden will honor his pledge to nominate a Black woman to Supreme Court following reports of Justice Stephen Breyer\u2019s retirement, White House press sec. Jen Psaki says he \u201ccertainly stands by that.\u201d https://abcn.ws/3rVVvcG\u00a0pic.twitter.com/yOYmuCgZsu
— ABC News (@ABC News) 1643227335

Despite the likelihood that Joe Biden will nominate a left-wing activist to the bench, should his nominee be affirmed, it is extremely unlikely that the new justice would shift the Supreme Court's ideological leanings.

US Marshals recover 45 missing children, arrest 179 in human trafficking sting 'Operation Autumn Hope'



U.S. Marshals, with the help of state and local agencies, rescued 45 missing and endangered children in Ohio and West Virginia during "Operation Autumn Hope."

The Central Ohio Human Trafficking Trask Force, Columbus PACT Unit, and the Cuyahoga County Human Trafficking Task Force also recovered 109 victims, who were referred to social services.

The campaign to locate and recover victims of human trafficking involved over 50 law enforcement agencies and non-government partners coordinated across the state of Ohio. The mission is believed to be the "largest anti-human trafficking operation" in Ohio's history.

Operation Autumn Hope resulted in 179 arrests made by the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, many of which were outstanding warrants. There were 22 people who were arrested for allegedly seeking to have sex with a minor.

One of the missing children rescued is a 15-year-old girl from Cleveland who was linked to "other possible victims to an individual in Columbus suspected of human trafficking," according to a U.S. Marshals news release.

United States Marshals Service officers from Southern Ohio and Southern West Virginia worked on the operation. U.S. Marshal Michael Baylous said of the13 missing kids recovered by the Cops United Felony Fugitive Enforcement Division; three of the children were missing from San Bernardino, California, following a parental dispute and found in West Virginia.

The operation was supported by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Michael Baylous, U.S. Marshall for the Southern District of WV, speaks with @HoppyKercheval about Operation Autumn… https://t.co/FagZ2JnZhr
— MetroNews (@MetroNews)1603900210.0

"These predators shamelessly target the most innocent and defenseless members of our community," Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin said. "Operation Autumn Hope is sending a loud and clear message: We are watching, we will catch you, and we will protect our children."

"These vulnerable members of our population usually slip through the cracks," said Sgt. Dana Hess, director of the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force. "This operation highlighted the vast number of potential victims and allowed law enforcement the opportunity to make contact and link them to services."

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost (R) released a news release about the human trafficking sting.

"The success of Operation Autumn Hope is measured not only in the number of arrests but in the lives that were rescued from this evil," Yost said. "Every agency on this team looks for the day when no person is bought and sold in Ohio. Don't buy sex in Ohio!"

Earlier this month, U.S. Marshals rescued 11 children in New Orleans, two of which were in "extreme danger."

On Sept. 21, U.S. Marshals announced that they had rescued 35 missing children during "Operation Safety Net" in Ohio.

On Sept. 17, U.S. Marshals Service completed "Operation Triple Beam," a 60-day mission to decrease violent gang crime in Oklahoma City. U.S. Marshals made 262 arrests, seized illegal firearms and narcotics, plus rescued five missing children,

On Sept. 4, the U.S. Marshals Service said that they rescued eight "highly endangered" missing children in Indiana during "Operation Homecoming."

On Aug. 27, U.S. Marshals located 39 missing children in Georgia and Florida during "Operation Not Forgotten." Authorities said the children were between the ages of 3 to 17. Of the 39 endangered children, 15 were victims of sex trafficking.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement engaged in a multi-agency operation last month that resulted in the arrest of five suspected child sexual predators. "Operation Home Alone 2" was able to successfully "target sexual predators who attempted to lure underage children with the intent of engaging in sexual activity."