Shortly after the public impeachment testimony of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman concluded Tuesday afternoon, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) criticized Republican attacks against Vindman.
During Vindman’s testimony Tuesday, Republicans attempted to attack him for following a White House lawyer’s instructions and going to him with concerns about President Trump’s actions regarding the Ukraine pressure campaign. Vindman also found himself defending his credibility and job performance after a tense exchange with Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) during the hearing.
While expressing his frustration, Manchin called Vindman a “war hero” who didn’t deserve what he views as “unacceptable” attacks by Republicans, according to CNN.
“There’s nothing right about this. There’s nothing right. I mean, you know, it’s just dead wrong. The bottom line is people are going to have to make a decision (about impeachment),” Manchin said, according to CNN. “But the bottom line is for anyone to condone this and say this is normal behavior and this is how we should act as a country, superpower of the world, is wrong.”
CNN added that Manchin said that he declined to make a decision about whether he would vote to convict Trump in a Senate trial until after the House takes action.
