EXCLUSIVE — Joe Manchin on UFU whistleblower: “How come I’ve never heard of him?”

After voting on the Senate floor, a government shutdown still threatens at midnight, as Sen. Joe Manchin and an aide walk back to their office alongside the Capitol’s tram tracks, Sept. 30, 2021. Photo: Matt Laslo

I bumped into Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) in the Capitol on Thursday, July 27, just 10 days after he upset the establishment with an appearance in New Hampshire on behalf of No Labels.

It was also the day after UFO whistleblower David Grusch testified before the House Oversight Committee. 

“I’ve never heard of him,” Manchin, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said. 

“Yeah. I figured. You’ve got speeches to give in New Hampshire.”

Manchin was in no laughing mood and instead kept asking about Grusch’s claims, the ongoing congressional investigations and the evidence.

“Any pictures or anything?” Manchin inquired. 

Upon learning Grusch served in the US intelligence community and testified that many lawmaker’s questions could only be answered in a classified setting, Manchin grew even more intrigued. ” 

“Really?” Manchin said. “How come I’ve never heard of him?” 

Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s interview with Sen. Joe Manchin in the US Capitol, July 27, 2023.. Slightly edited for clarity.

Matt Laslo: “I got a random one for ya. Have you ever heard of this UAP or UFO whistleblower David Grusch?” 

Joe Manchin: “Nothing.” 

ML: “He testified in the House yesterday.” 

JM: “Who is he?”

ML: “David Grusch—he testified in the House yesterday.” 

JM: “Haven’t heard of him.” 

ML: “Gillibrand’s looking into him over here, and so is Rubio on Intel.” 

JM: “I’ve never heard of him.” 

ML: “Yeah. I figured. You’ve got speeches to give in New Hampshire.”

Laslo laughs. 

JM: “Any pictures or anything?” 

ML: “That’s what the question is, and in the hearing half of his answers were, ‘I can’t answer that publicly, I have to answer it classified.’” 

JM: “Really?” 

ML: “He was intel community…” 

JM: “How come I’ve never heard of him?” 

ML: “...he was—it’s curious.” 

JM: “How about Kennedy assassination? That come up a lot too?”

ML: “What’s that?” 

JM: “The Kennedy assassination.” 

ML: “Some people are bringing it up in the House. You know your colleagues.”

Laslo laughs.

JM: off mic

ML: “You have a good one, sir.” 

Matt Laslo’s a veteran congressional correspondent, new media lecturer and founder of Ask a Pol.

Follow the journey: @Ask_a_Pol on X or on Insta.