By Jordain Carney, The Hill
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) said Wednesday that he will oppose Rahm Emanuel’s nomination to be ambassador to Japan.
“Black Lives Matter. Here in the halls of Congress, it is important that we not just speak and believe these words, but put them into action in the decisions we make,” Merkley said in a statement.
“I have carefully considered Mayor Emanuel’s record—and the input of civil rights leaders, criminal justice experts, and local elected officials who have reached out to the Senate to weigh in—and I have reached the decision that I cannot support his nomination to serve as a U.S. Ambassador,” Merkley added in a statement.
The committee is evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, meaning Emanuel will need help from Republicans to get his nomination to the Senate floor. But Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), who previously has served as ambassador to Japan, has backed Emanuel’s nomination and introduced him at his committee hearing.
Recent Posts
We’re Making Musk The World’s First Trillionaire With Public Money And Public Assets
Take Action Now We gave him our dollars, our knowledge, our launchpads, our tech. While people ration insulin, he’s on track to be the first…
Gazing On Gaza: The Gordian Knot Of Israel And The Middle East
Take Action Now Today, in 2025, Gaza has become the world’s living proof that there are horrors for which words like “tragedy” or “crisis” are…
The Growing Fight For Green Economic Populism
Take Action Now In Chicago and across the country, unions and progressive leaders are implementing policies to address the climate crisis while…
Trump’s War On Big Law Means It’s Harder To Challenge The Administration
Take Action Now Some of America’s largest law firms are refusing to take pro bono and paid legal work from groups that seek to hold the government to…