Following President Biden's move to commute the sentences of 37 prisoners on federal death row, Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., called the clemency granted to two of the individuals "horribly misguided and insulting."

In the 37 cases, Biden commuted the sentences to life sentences without the potential for parole.

Manchin — a Democrat-turned-independent senator who will soon leave office — said he felt a responsibility to speak out on behalf of the parents of Samantha Burns, who was slain in 2002 at the age of 19, according to reports. 

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"After speaking to Samantha Burns’ parents, I believe it is my duty to speak on their behalf and say President Biden’s decision to commute the death sentences for the two men convicted in her brutal murder is horribly misguided and insulting," the lawmaker declared in a statement posted on X.

"Particularly since Samantha’s family wrote letters to President Biden & the Department of Justice, pleading for them not to do this, but their concerns were unheard. I can’t imagine the grief that Kandi and John Burns are reliving and dealing with during the holiday season," Manchin continued. "As their U.S. Senator and a father, I want to express my deepest sympathy for their continued suffering. Please know that Samantha will forever be in our prayers."

The two men connected with the young woman's death escaped lockup and went on a crime spree in 2002, according to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

"On November 4, 2002, cellmates Chadrick Fulks and Brandon Basham escaped from a county detention facility in Kentucky" and "unleashed a criminal rampage that lasted seventeen days and zigzagged across several states," according to the court, which noted that the men "admitted to killing Burns and pleaded guilty to carjacking resulting in death in the Southern District of West Virginia."

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In a fiery Christmas Day post on Truth Social, President-elect Trump told the 37 individuals who escaped capital punishment to "GO TO HELL!" 

In a statement about the commutations, President Biden said, "I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss." 

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But he also said that he was "more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level."

"These commutations are consistent with the moratorium my Administration has imposed on federal executions, in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder," Biden said.

West Virginia Republican Gov. Jim Justice announced that he would delay his U.S. Senate swearing-in, thereby preventing a whirlwind of four governors in a 10-day period due to coinciding changes in Charleston's legislative leadership.

In doing so, it leaves federal Republicans' Senate majority briefly at two instead of three seats. Justice alluded to such in remarks late Thursday, saying he wants to do what’s best for Mountaineers.

"My whole thinking behind all of this is that the continuity of government is essential during transitions. . . . When I took this job, I took this job to serve the people of West Virginia."

Justice said he doesn’t expect much to happen between Jan. 3 – when Congress is sworn in – and Jan. 20 – when President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated, but that in Charleston, many things might transpire.

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West Virginia is one of seven states that does not have an independently-appointed or elected lieutenant governor. In Charleston, it is instead a statutory title given to the state Senate leader.

So, if Justice were to join the U.S. Senate on-schedule, current state Senate President Craig Blair would initially assume the role. 

However, Blair lost the GOP primary for his Martinsburg seat in April, and therefore leaves office on Jan. 8 when the new legislature is sworn in.

On Jan. 8, the newly-selected leader, Sen. Randy Smith from Tucker County, would assume the governorship until Gov.-elect Patrick Morrisey took office on Jan. 13.

"Between January 3rd and when President Trump takes office, there'll be some things that happen, but there won't be anything happening [in the U.S. Congress] really until when President Trump takes office," Justice said Thursday.

"I'm in constant contact with President Trump about my feelings about his selections for his appointments, my feelings about where we're going to go on all kinds of issues like energy and on and on and on and everything," he added. 

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"So, I don't think that there's anything there that is going to rise to the level of what could happen here [in my absence]."

Republicans also flipped the Senate by a comfortable-enough 53-47 margin that Justice’s absence will still allow a two-member buffer.

"I don't think that West Virginia needs to have four governors in 10 days," he said.

Justice said Thursday he made the decision after speaking about the situation with both the House Speaker and Senate Majority Leader-designate.

"Senator Thune is really a good man. He's going to do a great job as our leader and everything. And we had this discussion, and at the end of the day, I think you'll find that everyone totally understands the complexities and everything and totally understands [my decision]," Justice said.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., Justice’s counterpart next session, said she looks forward to serving with him and working together to advance Trump’s agenda.

"I very much respect Governor Justice’s decision to honor his commitment to complete his term as Governor of the State of West Virginia," she said in a statement.

"I believe this with all my soul," Justice further told reporters. "The people of West Virginia elected me to this office, and they expected me to do right by them always . . . t has been an honor beyond belief being their governor."

A billionaire coal businessman who also owns The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, Justice was originally elected as a Democrat but changed parties during a 2017 rally with Trump in his first term in Charleston – and was re-elected as a Republican.

Justice’s turn to the GOP and the retirement of Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., completes a full shift from the blue state that for decades elected Sen. Robert Byrd and Rep. Nick Joe Rahall to a deep-red state that Democratic presidential candidates since Hillary Clinton have lost by double-digits.

Bearing the wait until Jan. 13, Justice reiterated, will be worth it because he loves Trump "with all my soul."

"I think the world of his family and everything. And I'm going to be there [and] super supportive of what he's doing. And we're going to try in every way to . . . put this nation back on the right track."

"The people of West Virginia will know exactly where I stand with them."