Manchin, Sinema infuriate Schumer after blocking Democratic nomination to National Labor Relations Board

Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema again angered Senate Democratic leadership. The departing senators from West Virginia and Arizona blocked a last-minute nomination to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Months earlier, when they were still Democrats, they were the only ones in the party to vote against ending the filibuster in the upper chamber and did the same this time around.

As for the NLRB, and according to its own website, it is "an independent federal agency that governs relations between business, unions and labor." In effect, it has influence in resolving disputes between those two parties.

Currently the board is made up of three Democrats, one Republican and there is one vacancy for the GOP to fill. The Senate voted Wednesday on the nomination of Lauren McFerran, who is already on the board and was seeking another five-year term.

All Democrats and allies voted in favor of McFerran with two exceptions, Manchin and Sinema. The independent senators thwarted the nomination, allowing the GOP to gain a majority on the NLRB board next year.

The vote ended with 49 votes in favor and 50 against, as Republican Roger Marshall was not present to cast his vote.

In the wake of Marshall's absence, Democrats needed Manchin or Sinema to vote for McFerran to make it 50-50 and break a tie with Vice Chairwoman Kamala Harris, who recently swore in Senators Andy Kim of New Jersey and Adam Schiff of California. Both were sworn in ahead of the rest of the new senators because they are replacing senators who had been appointed to fill vacancies.

"It is deeply disappointing, a direct attack on working people, and incredibly troubling that this highly qualified nominee — with a proven track record of protecting worker rights — did not have the votes," Chuck Schumer, Senate Democratic majority leader, said of the move.

"Senate Republicans defeated Lauren McFerran’s nomination for a 5-year term on the NLRB. An excellent step against Schumer's attempt to push through radical nominations at the 11th hour, which will allow President Trump to solidify a Republican majority on the board," noted John Thune, future Republican leader in the upper chamber.