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
Gavin Newsom’s last budget belies his ‘California for All’ pledge
Take Action Now Yet, even as the state is poised to lose billions in federal funding, and millions of Californians are losing access to health care…
Israel and American Hawks are Pushing U.S. to Iran War With Catastrophic Consequences
Take Action Now At the World Health Assembly in May, member states may endorse an unprecedented strategy declaring that health is not a cost – but…
A Child’s View of the Attack on Venezuela. And a Peace Flotilla
Take Action Now At the World Health Assembly in May, member states may endorse an unprecedented strategy declaring that health is not a cost – but…
How to Organize Safely in the Age of Surveillance
Take Action Now From threat modeling to encrypted collaboration apps, we’ve collected experts’ tips and tools for safely and effectively building a…