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Republicans ramp up pressure on Biden to pull nominee linked to eco-terrorist plot
Tracy Stone-Manning's nomination for BLM director is under increasing fire
By Peter Hasson | Fox News
Republican senators are ramping up pressure on President Biden to withdraw Tracy Stone-Manning's nomination for Bureau of Land Management (BLM) director, citing her link to an eco-terrorist plot and her apparently misleading answers to senators about it.
Every Republican on the Senate Energy Committee signed a letter Wednesday urging Biden to pull Stone-Manning's nomination.
"Ms. Stone-Manning has made false and misleading statements in a sworn statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (Committee) regarding her activities associated with an eco-terrorist cell whose tree spiking in Idaho’s Clearwater National Forest in 1989 put lives at risk," the senators wrote.
"We believe that Ms. Stone-Manning’s false and misleading statements, as well as her extremist activities, disqualify her from serving as Director of this important agency," the senators added in the letter.
"As you are aware, the BLM manages one in every ten acres of land in the United States, and approximately thirty percent of the nation’s minerals. The BLM also manages close to 65 million acres of forests and woodlands across twelve western states and Alaska. Any individual who leads this important agency must have the faith and trust of the American people. Ms. Stone-Manning has violated this trust."
Senators John Barrasso of Wyoming, Jim Risch of Idaho, Mike Lee of Utah, Steve Daines of Montana, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, John Hoeven of North Dakota, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi and Roger Marshall of Kansas all signed the letter.
The White House didn't immediately return Fox News' request for comment, though Biden has so far continued to back the embattled nominee.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell also put a spotlight on the Stone-Manning nomination Wednesday, releasing a roundup of articles highlighting her ties to the tree-spiking plot, as well as her views on population control.
Stone-Manning's fate may come down to Democratic West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, who has yet to reveal how he intends to vote on the nomination.