Joe Manchin says AOC is not entitled to her 'own facts' after she said he's beholden to big energy companies

Sarah Al-Arshani | Publié le 13/09/2021 à 4h06 | Mis à jour le 13/09/2021 à 4h08

Manchin, a centrist Democrat, is urging his party to slow down the passage of a $3.5 trillion social spending bill.

• Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin said AOC was wrong to say he has weekly meetings with energy companies.
• "I keep my door open for everybody. That's totally false," Manchin told CNN's Dana Bash on Sunday.
• Manchin has urged Democrats to slow down on passing a $3.5 trillion social spending bill.
• See more stories on Insider's business page .

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin said he "absolutely" does not have weekly meetings with Exxon and slammed Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez after she said he was beholden to big energy companies.

Last week, Ocasio-Cortez criticized Manchin for urging Democrats to slow down the passage of a $3.5 trillion social spending bill.

"Manchin has weekly huddles w/ Exxon & is one of many senators who gives lobbyists their pen to write so-called "bipartisan" fossil fuel bills," Ocasio-Cortez said in a tweet . "It's killing people. Our people. At least 12 last night. Sick of this "bipartisan" corruption that masquerades as clear-eyed moderation."

On Sunday, Manchin told CNN's Dana Bash it's "absolutely not true" that he has weekly meetings with big energy companies.

"I keep my door open for everybody. That's totally false," Manchin told Bash. "Those types of superlatives, it's just awful. Continue to divide and divide and divide."

He added: "I don't know that young lady that well. I really don't. I have met her one time, I think, between sets here. But that's it. So we have not had any conversations. She's just speculating and saying things because she wants to."

Bash said other Democrats have also said Manchin is opposing the bill because he's "bought and paid for by corporate donors."

Last week, in an interview with MSNBC , Democratic Rep. Katie Porter also questioned if Manchin was more "concerned about his corporate donors" than invest in American families.

Manchin said he opposed the bill because "it makes no sense at all."

"You're entitled to your own facts - I mean, your own opinions. You're just not entitled to create your own facts to support it. And that's exactly what they're doing," he told Bash.

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