WASHINGTON – A Democratic senator responded on Tuesday to progressives’ sexism accusations after opposing Neera Tanden to be President Joe Biden’s budget director, a decision that launched her appointment into uncertainty.
Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia denied that sexism played a role in his opposition, calling his decision “nothing personal”.
The appointment of Tanden, who would be the first non-white woman to head the Office of Administration and Budget, was suspended by a thread in the afternoon, as Republican leaders tried to unify and block it.
Manchin’s opposition means that Tanden needs a Republican to cross the corridor to be confirmed.
Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Said at his conference over lunch on Tuesday that he wants them to be together and oppose Tanden, according to two Republican sources familiar with his comments.
Asked immediately after lunch whether he expected his conference to unite against Tanden, McConnell told NBC News: “I hope so. We will see.”
The chamber confirmed several nominees for President Joe Biden and has not rejected any yet.
Like Manchin, many Republican senators cite Tanden’s previous tweets criticizing politicians across the spectrum. In his statement on Friday, Manchin said that Tanden’s “openly partisan statements will have a toxic and damaging impact on the important working relationship” between Congress and the influential White House budget office.
Since then, top Republicans, including Senator Susan Collins of Maine, Senator Mitt Romney of Utah and Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, have spoken out against Tanden, raising similar concerns.
But some lawmakers and progressive activists saw a double pattern between Tanden and some of President Donald Trump’s nominees who were confirmed by the Senate – including Twitter sniper Richard Grenell for ambassador to Germany and Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court after his intemperance I sometimes testify in response to allegations of attempted sexual assault.
Congresswoman Grace Meng, DN.Y., questioned whether there was a potential gender or race reason for opposing nominees like Tanden and Interior nominee Deb Haaland, who would be the first Native American to head the department.
Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, who may be the last Republican senator at stake, told reporters on Tuesday that she still has time to make a decision on a full Senate vote, as Tanden faces two confirmation votes from the committee on Wednesday.
Murkowski said he talked to the White House about Tanden, but it was unclear when or with whom specifically, nor did he say how the conversation went.
The White House defended Tanden’s nomination on Tuesday, saying the government is still working to find the necessary votes.
At his weekly news conference today, Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., criticized Republicans as hypocrites for basing their opposition to Tanden on malicious tweets.
“I will not go into details and names, but we continue to look for [for votes]”Said Schumer.” I think Neera Tanden would be an excellent nominee for OMB. And for Republicans who look the other way with the most unpleasant tweets from their president, their leader for now, saying that Neera Tanden shouldn’t come in because of his tweets is somewhat contradictory. “
