Senate Democrats offer fresh support for embattled Tanden
By Niv Elis - 03/02/21 01:08 PM EST Senate Democrats on Tuesday made a fresh show of support for President Biden's embattled nominee to lead the White House budget office, Neera Tanden.
Tanden's confirmation is on the rocks after Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and a slew of centrist Republicans announced they would vote against her confirmation, citing harsh tweets she wrote as head of the Center for American Progress.
"The controversy about Neera is largely over her social media comments, which could be leveled at virtually all of us," Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said at a confirmation hearing for Shalanda Young to be the Office of Management and Budget deputy director.
At her own confirmation hearings, Tanden repeatedly apologized and expressed regrets for tweets that targeted both Republicans and progressive Democrats.
Kaine raised the prospect that Tanden was facing a double standard, given that nominees with similar or worse records had successfully been confirmed despite mean or harsh rhetoric.
"We faced so many nominees in the past administration that had really intemperate things to say on social media accounts, including about me," Kaine said.
"But they apologized, and when they apologized, their apologies were accepted by virtually all Republicans, and a lot of Democrats," he said.
more
https://thehill.com/policy/finance/541230-senate-dems-offer-fresh-support-for-embattled-tanden