Ex-White House Staff Secretary and Director of the Domestic Policy Council Neera Tanden was told that executive privilege is &#8220;not justified&#8221; in her testimony on Tuesday for a congressional investigation into former President Joe Biden&#8217;s mental state and whether he authorized the use of autopen signatures for major executive actions.
Gary Lawkowski, the deputy counsel to President Donald Trump, wrote to Tanden on the same day she appeared before the GOP-led House Oversight Committee for a closed-door interview. The letter, <a href="https://x.com/ShelbyTalcott/status/1937543246827188731" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> by Semafor, said the &#8220;extraordinary nature&#8221; of the inquiry permitted an &#8220;accommodation&#8221; for Congress and noted that the White House counsel was not requesting that an agency counsel be permitted to attend.
&#8220;[T]he President authorizes you to provide unrestricted testimony to the House Oversight Committee, irrespective of potential privilege,&#8221; Lawkowski wrote.
Still, Tanden was advised that she was not given the go-ahead to disclose classified information or any other details that would violate the law or court orders, according to a footnote in the letter.
Tanden is one of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-officials-to-testify-about-former-presidents-mental-fitness" target="_blank" rel="noopener">several</a> top former staffers in Biden&#8217;s White House who are scheduled to speak with the House Oversight Committee over the next several weeks. The others include former Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the First Lady Anthony Bernal, Former Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations Ashley Williams, and Former Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff Annie Tomasini.
Chairman James Comer (R-KY), who <a href="https://oversight.house.gov/release/chairman-comer-demands-testimony-from-bidens-doctor-former-white-house-aides-on-cover-up-of-mental-decline/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demanded</a> their testimony, has also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/congress-hits-bidens-doc-with-subpoena-as-part-of-cover-up-probe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">subpoenaed</a> former White House physician Kevin O’Connor.
&#8220;I think there is a huge level of curiosity in the press corps with respect to who was calling the shots in the Biden administration,&#8221; Comer <a href="https://x.com/cspan/status/1937532798606229520" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> reporters before the interview with Tanden. &#8220;So this is the first of many people we&#8217;re going to bring in to try to get the answers for the American people.&#8221;
Lawkowski suggested that executive privilege would be waived for the other former Biden White House staffers and contended that Trump&#8217;s view on the matter is &#8220;consistent with the practice established under&#8221; the previous administration.
In her opening statement, <a href="https://x.com/AndrewSolender/status/1937557095605502278" target="_blank" rel="noopener">obtained</a> by Axios, Tanden noted that in her role as staff secretary from October 2021 to May 2023, she was authorized to direct autopen signatures for &#8220;certain categories&#8221; of documents — part of a system &#8220;inherited&#8221; from prior administrations. She denied having any further role in the use of the autopen while serving as head of the Domestic Policy Council from May 2023 until the end of Biden&#8217;s term.
Tanden also emphasized that her &#8220;cooperation should not be taken to mean that I think the Committee&#8217;s &#8216;investigation&#8217; is a worthy subject.&#8221; She added that Biden was &#8220;in command as President&#8221; and claimed not to have any &#8220;experience in the White House&#8221; that would raise doubts about his ability to lead.
Democrats have dismissed the House Oversight Committee&#8217;s probe as baseless.
&#8220;The only thing extraordinary that came out of that deposition was it was an extraordinary waste of time,&#8221; Rep. Wesley Bell (D-MO) <a href="https://x.com/cspan/status/1937542202906857853" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> reporters.
Biden, now 82, abandoned his 2024 re-election bid following a faltering debate against now-President Trump amid pressure from allies. A new <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jake-tapper-flails-when-confronted-with-his-role-in-biden-cover-up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">book</a> by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson on Biden’s &#8220;decline&#8221; and the &#8220;cover-up,&#8221; alongside the former president&#8217;s recent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/joe-biden-diagnosed-with-aggressive-form-of-prostate-cancer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;aggressive&#8221;</a> prostate cancer diagnosis and the release of audio from special counsel Robert Hur’s interview with him, has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gop-proposal-panel-biden-health-cover-up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">intensified</a> scrutiny.
Senate Republicans are <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-duck-biden-mental-fitness-hearing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">looking into</a> Biden&#8217;s mental fitness as well. Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-orders-investigation-into-biden-autopen-scandal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ordered</a> a separate investigation into whether aides improperly used an autopen for executive actions in an effort to conceal Biden&#8217;s health issues, suggesting there could be &#8220;implications&#8221; for the legality and validity of the presidential acts in question.
Biden has pushed back on the notion that he did not dictate his executive actions.
&#8220;Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false,&#8221; Biden said in a <a href="https://x.com/brittanys/status/1930450375699583244" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. &#8220;This is nothing more than a distraction by Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans.&#8221;

Neera Tanden

Trump Waives Executive Privilege Protection For Biden Aide Ahead Of Cognitive Fitness Hearings

Congress

James Comer

Joe Biden

Politics

U.S. House of Representatives

White House

Several of former President Joe Biden&#8217;s White House staffers are poised to testify before the House Oversight Committee in the coming weeks for an investigation into Biden&#8217;s mental state and whether he authorized the use of autopen signatures for major executive actions.
Former Director of the Domestic Policy Council Neera Tanden and Former Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the First Lady Anthony Bernal have agreed to voluntarily appear for transcribed interviews on June 24 and June 26, respectively, according to a House Oversight Committee aide.
Additionally, the aide said, Former Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations Ashley Williams is scheduled to participate in a voluntary transcribed interview on July 11 and Former Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff Annie Tomasini is expected to show up for the same kind of session on July 18.
House Republicans are looking into efforts to cover up Biden&#8217;s fitness and the potential unauthorized use of an autopen for official presidential acts, including pardons. Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) has <a href="https://oversight.house.gov/release/chairman-comer-demands-testimony-from-bidens-doctor-former-white-house-aides-on-cover-up-of-mental-decline/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demanded</a> testimony from various former White House aides and revealed last week that he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/congress-hits-bidens-doc-with-subpoena-as-part-of-cover-up-probe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">subpoenaed</a> former White House physician Kevin O’Connor to testify on Capitol Hill on June 27.
Democrats have <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/house-oversight-committee-expands-inquiry-bidens-mental-condition-122513493" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scoffed at</a> the GOP&#8217;s probe.
Biden, now 82, abandoned his 2024 re-election bid following a faltering debate against now-President Donald Trump amid pressure from allies. A new <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jake-tapper-flails-when-confronted-with-his-role-in-biden-cover-up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">book</a> by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson on Biden’s &#8220;decline&#8221; and the &#8220;cover-up,&#8221; alongside the former president&#8217;s recent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/joe-biden-diagnosed-with-aggressive-form-of-prostate-cancer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;aggressive&#8221;</a> prostate cancer diagnosis and the release of audio from special counsel Robert Hur’s interview with him, has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gop-proposal-panel-biden-health-cover-up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">intensified</a> scrutiny.
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-orders-investigation-into-biden-autopen-scandal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ordered</a> a separate investigation last week into whether aides improperly used an autopen for executive actions in an effort to conceal Biden&#8217;s health issues, suggesting there could be &#8220;implications&#8221; for the legality and validity of the presidential acts in question.
In a <a href="https://x.com/brittanys/status/1930450375699583244" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>, Biden pushed back on the notion that he did not dictate his executive actions.
&#8220;Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false,&#8221; Biden said. &#8220;This is nothing more than a distraction by Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans.&#8221;

Biden Officials To Testify About Former President’s Mental Fitness

House Oversight Committee

Maybe now they know how conservatives on Twitter feel.
After a final deal was announced Monday about billionaire Elon Musk buying Twitter, a slew of liberals came out to bemoan lost followers.
“Just lost 2000 followers. Anyone else losing followers?” Neera Tanden, a Biden nominee who withdrew and longtime supporter of Hillary Clinton, wrote on Twitter.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Just lost 2000 followers. Anyone else losing followers?
&mdash; Neera Tanden🌻 (@neeratanden) <a href="https://twitter.com/neeratanden/status/1518718919242133504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Gun control activist David Hogg joined in the sobfest, saying, &#8220;Oh I thought it was just some really bad takes I posted but guess I’m not alone -3000 today.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Oh I thought it was just some really bad takes I posted but guess I&#39;m not alone -3000 today
&mdash; David Hogg 🟧 (@davidhogg111) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidhogg111/status/1518726536437764096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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“Star Wars” actor Mark Hamill retweeted Tanden’s tweet, adding: “I just lost more than 8,000 followers in the last couple of hours. Was it something I said?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Weird. I just lost more than 8,000 followers in the last couple of hours. Was it something I said? <a href="https://t.co/TS3vwDephc">https://t.co/TS3vwDephc</a>
&mdash; Mark Hamill (@MarkHamill) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkHamill/status/1518724468406767616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Another Twitter user, Christopher Bouzy, wrote: &#8220;Exclusive: Over the past 24 hours, Democrats have experienced a significant decrease in followers, while Republicans have experienced a significant increase in followers&#8230;&#8221; He posted a chart not on liberals but only former President Barack Obama, which showed he lost roughly 5,000 of his 131 million followers.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🤖Exclusive: Over the past 24 hours, Democrats have experienced a significant decrease in followers, while Republicans have experienced a significant increase in followers&#8230; <a href="https://t.co/jOg0or4bKS">pic.twitter.com/jOg0or4bKS</a>
&mdash; Christopher Bouzy (spoutible.com/cbouzy) (@cbouzy) <a href="https://twitter.com/cbouzy/status/1518953731961802752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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“I’m down about the same (proportionately) &#8211; around 1800. Can’t tell if it’s dead bots or people afraid that Elon will find out they were following me,” former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann tweeted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I&#39;m down about the same (proportionately) &#8211; around 1800. Can&#39;t tell if it&#39;s dead bots or people afraid that Elon will find out they were following me
&mdash; Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) <a href="https://twitter.com/KeithOlbermann/status/1518726296494292995?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The social media site is overrun with bots. Way back in 2017, CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/10/nearly-48-million-twitter-accounts-could-be-bots-says-study.html">reported</a> that &#8220;as many as 48 million Twitter accounts aren’t people.&#8221; But Musk plans to change that. Last week, he tweeted: &#8220;If our twitter bid succeeds, we will defeat the spam bots or die trying!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
If our twitter bid succeeds, we will defeat the spam bots or die trying!
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1517215066550116354?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Conservatives are well aware of how Twitter limits their accounts. The social media giant can “shadow-ban” accounts, which means their posts don&#8217;t even appear on their followers newsfeeds. Plus, Twitter can simply purge an account&#8217;s followers and censor any content they choose by labeling it &#8220;hate speech” or “harassment.”
Other Twitter users claimed liberals&#8217; plunging numbers were simply people shutting down accounts over Musk&#8217;s acquisition.
&#8220;Its [sic] people leaving because of Elon most likely,&#8221; one user <a href="https://twitter.com/shouxing3/status/1518810447419363329">wrote</a>.
Others speculated that Twitter was purging bots as part of the sale.
&#8220;Its [sic] a bot purge. They have to do some due diligence for the sale. I bet having millions of fake accounts will be a problem so they are deleting,&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/FPWellman/status/1518742818822496259">wrote</a> one user.
&#8220;However, largely missing from the list of users complaining about a loss of Twitter followers were conservative and right-wing accounts. In fact, a number of users in this group actually gained followers in the last 24 hours,&#8221; Fortune magazine <a href="https://fortune.com/2022/04/26/twitter-accounts-left-losing-followers-right-gaining-musk-buyout-sealed/">reported</a>. &#8220;While users like Michelle Obama, Bernie Sanders, and Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez all lost more than 10,000 followers overnight, according to data from social media analytics tracker SocialBlade, conservatives like Ted Cruz, Newt Gingrich, and Laura Ingraham all gained.&#8221;
Joseph Curl has covered politics for 35 years, including 12 years as White House correspondent for a national newspaper. He was also the a.m. editor of the Drudge Report for four years. Send tips to josephcurl@dailywire.com and follow him on Twitter @josephcurl.

Mark Hamill is Honored with Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Liberals Bemoan Lost Twitter Followers After Musk Takeover

Celebrities

Elon Musk

Keith Olbermann

Mark Hamill

Twitter

Neera Tanden is set to be the new White House staff secretary following a difficult nomination to be the leader of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and, ultimately, a failure to secure support for the OMB position. 
A White House official <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/neera-tanden-white-house-staff-secretary-omb-nomination">confirmed</a> the announcement to Fox News on Friday, with the outlet noting that Tanden has “been serving as a White House senior adviser, prior to her appointment as staff secretary.”
The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/neera-tanden-white-house/2021/10/22/252c0b70-32cc-11ec-93e2-dba2c2c11851_story.html">reported</a>, “The staff secretary, who reports to the chief of staff, traditionally plays the role of both traffic cop and honest broker in the White House, with control over the documents that make it to the president, whether they be briefing books or decision memos laying out the arguments on major decisions.”
After her nomination failed, President Joe Biden reportedly said he would put her in a position in his administration.
&#8220;I have the utmost respect for her record of accomplishment, her experience, and her counsel, and I look forward to having her serve in a role in my Administration. She will bring valuable perspective and insight to our work,&#8221;  Biden said in March.
The tension surrounding Tanden’s nomination mostly centered on her past tweets.
As The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-biden-nomination-of-neera-tanden-to-be-omb-director-goes-down-in-flames">reported</a> in March, “President Joe Biden accepted a withdrawal letter from OMB Director nominee Neera Tanden late on Tuesday after Tanden faced bipartisan opposition due to snide remarks that she made online toward Senators.”
“I am writing to you to withdraw my nomination for Director of the Office of Management and Budget,” Tanden said. “It has been an honor of a lifetime to be considered for this role and for the faith placed in me. I appreciate how hard you and your team at the White House has worked to win my confirmation.” 
“Unfortunately, it now seems clear that there is no path forward to gain confirmation, and I do not want continued consideration of my nomination to be a distraction from your other priorities,” Tanden continued. “I am incredibly grateful for your leadership on behalf of the American people and for your agenda that will make such a transformative difference in people’s lives.” 
“Tanden was facing bipartisan opposition from senators due to past intemperate comments she made on her Twitter feed,” The Washington Post reported. “Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) announced last month that he would oppose her, meaning Tanden would need the support of at least one Republican to be confirmed in the evenly divided Senate.” 
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/report-collins-unlikely-to-support-tanden-narrowing-path-for-biden-nominee">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported on Tanden’s response to criticism during her committee hearings.
<blockquote>
“I recognize that my language and my expressions on social media caused hurt to people, and I feel badly about that,” said Tanden. “I really regret it, and I recognize it’s really important for me to demonstrate that I can work with others, and I look forward to taking that burden, and I apologize to people on either the Left or Right who are hurt by what I’ve said.”
“Social media does lead to too many personal comments, and my approach will be radically different,” she added.
</blockquote>
Members of President Joe Biden’s team also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-team-seeking-help-from-asian-american-groups-to-rescue-neera-tanden-nomination">reportedly</a> sought the help of Asian-American groups in a last-ditch effort to save Tanden, as the likelihood of her being confirmed by the Senate continued to shrink.
<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/24/biden-asian-american-save-tanden-471558">Politico</a> reported that the groups were calling Senate offices, sending letters to them, and utilizing social media in order to advocate on behalf of Tanden. The groups were labeling opposition to Tanden as “structural racism” and “institutional racism.”

C0187A80-24D2-4CFC-9744-C1EC223BF972_1_201_a

Neera Tanden Appointed As White House Staff Secretary After OMB Nomination Derailed Over Past Tweets

President Joe Biden accepted a withdrawal letter from OMB Director nominee Neera Tanden late on Tuesday after Tanden faced bipartisan opposition due to snide remarks that she made online toward Senators.
&#8220;I am writing to you to withdraw my nomination for Director of the Office of Management and Budget,&#8221; Tanden said. &#8220;It has been an honor of a lifetime to be considered for this role and for the faith placed in me. I appreciate how hard you and your team at the White House has worked to win my confirmation.&#8221;
&#8220;Unfortunately, it now seems clear that there is no path forward to gain confirmation, and I do not want continued consideration of my nomination to be a distraction from your other priorities,&#8221; Tanden continued. &#8220;I am incredibly grateful for your leadership on behalf of the American people and for your agenda that will make such a transformative difference in people&#8217;s lives.&#8221;
Biden responded to Tanden removing her name from consideration by praising her and saying he still wants her to be in his administration.
&#8220;I have accepted Neera Tanden&#8217;s request to withdraw her name from nomination for Director of the Office of Management and Budget,&#8221; Biden said. &#8220;I have the utmost respect for her record of accomplishment, her experience and her counsel, and I look forward to having her serve in a role in my Administration. She will bring valuable perspective and insight to our work.&#8221;
&#8220;Tanden was facing bipartisan opposition from senators due to past intemperate comments she made on her Twitter feed,&#8221; The Washington Post reported. &#8220;Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) announced last month that he would oppose her, meaning Tanden would need the support of at least one Republican to be confirmed in the evenly divided Senate.&#8221;
Online, Twitter users who helped resurface some of her old tweets cheered, with one popular Twitter account writing: &#8220;Shout-out @neeratanden. You can&#8217;t see this because you blocked me, but I want you to know, it was truly an honor and a pleasure sinking your OMB nomination.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Shout-out <a href="https://twitter.com/neeratanden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@neeratanden</a>
You can&#39;t see this because you blocked me, but I want you to know, it was truly an honor and a pleasure sinking your OMB nomination
&mdash; Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) <a href="https://twitter.com/ComfortablySmug/status/1366896465960910848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Republican strategist Matt Whitlock <a href="https://twitter.com/mattdizwhitlock/status/1366905755593449479">commented</a>: &#8220;Can&#8217;t emphasize enough how big a failure this is for Ron Klain, who should&#8217;ve been working the phones.&#8221;
Former Bernie Sanders campaign adviser David Sirota <a href="https://twitter.com/davidsirota/status/1366897791901986820">wrote</a>: &#8220;The reason to celebrate the end of Neera Tanden’s nomination has nothing to do with her late-night out-of-control rage-tweeting and everything to do with her record. She is not a victim — she is a perpetrator.&#8221;
Progressive journalist Aaron Mate <a href="https://twitter.com/aaronjmate/status/1366902217446461442">mocked</a> Tanden, writing: &#8220;Biden should immediately appoint Neera Tanden Special Counsel to investigate whether Russian bots were responsible for spiking her nomination.&#8221;
The Club for Growth added: &#8220;Club for Growth is proud to have helped defeat Neera Tanden’s nomination to be the next Director of OMB. Tanden is an architect of Obamacare, cheerleader for the Green New Deal, and advocate for socialism in America. Her defeat is a win for America and our economy.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Club for Growth is proud to have helped defeat Neera Tanden’s nomination to be the next Director of OMB. Tanden is an architect of Obamacare, cheerleader for the Green New Deal, and advocate for socialism in America. Her defeat is a win for America and our economy. <a href="https://t.co/PsU73rMOzF">https://t.co/PsU73rMOzF</a>
&mdash; Club for Growth (@club4growth) <a href="https://twitter.com/club4growth/status/1366908457878761474?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
This report has been updated to include additional information.

Neera Tanden Confirmation Hearing To Be OMB Director Before Senate Homeland Committee

Biden Nomination Of Neera Tanden To Be OMB Director Goes Down In Flames

Biden Administration

The Washington Post defended the conduct of reporter Seung Min Kim on Thursday after she was attacked on social media for asking Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) about an insulting tweet Neera Tanden sent to Murkowski in 2017. 
Tanden, the Biden administration’s nominee to lead the Office of Management and Budget, has repeatedly been criticized by lawmakers for partisan statements she has made online. In one 2017 tweet, Tanden accused Murkowski in a tweet of being “high on her own supply.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
No offense but this sounds like you’re high on your own supply. 
You know, we know, and everyone knows this is all garbage. Just stop. <a href="https://t.co/0MzDYCpDyc">https://t.co/0MzDYCpDyc</a>
&mdash; Neera Tanden🌻 (@neeratanden) <a href="https://twitter.com/neeratanden/status/936460699366318081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2017</a></blockquote>
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After a photo spread online of Seung Min showing Murkowski the tweet and asking for comment in the Capitol, a swarm of Twitter users angrily suggested Seung Min of trying to tank Tanden’s nomination. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/seungminkim?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@seungminkim</a> showing Murkowski an old Tanden tweet targeting her 
“High on my own supply? That’s interesting” <a href="https://t.co/gdhaYpQuvf">pic.twitter.com/gdhaYpQuvf</a>
&mdash; Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) <a href="https://twitter.com/igorbobic/status/1364695290582867986?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
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“You don’t deserve to be called a journalist,” tweeted one person. “So the media is trying to tank Neera too shocking,” said another. “Seung Min Kim can’t stand it when other Asian women get shine. What a disgrace,” said another Twitter user. 
Seung Kim also posted a screenshot of an email she received, which told her to &#8220;go back to China b*tch.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Meanwhile &#8230;. <a href="https://t.co/JSfaVQydqu">pic.twitter.com/JSfaVQydqu</a>
&mdash; Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) <a href="https://twitter.com/seungminkim/status/1364762782554587141?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Let’s check in on my email inbox <a href="https://t.co/OjhT5uOvt2">pic.twitter.com/OjhT5uOvt2</a>
&mdash; Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) <a href="https://twitter.com/seungminkim/status/1364751039572942849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Washington Post national editor Steven Ginsburg defended Seung Min in a statement Thursday, saying that she had been receiving a barrage of “racist, sexist and ill-informed attacks&#8221; for simply doing her job. 
“A picture of Seung Min showing the tweet to Murkowski was posted to Twitter, which led to a flood of racist, sexist and ill-informed attacks aimed at Seung Min,” said Ginsberg. “The racist and sexist attacks have been vicious — and atypical. She and other minority women endure vile, baseless attacks on a daily basis, no matter what story they are working on or tweeting about. The attacks on her journalistic integrity were wildly misguided and a bad-faith effort at intimidation.”
“What she did was basic journalism. In reporting about Tanden’s tweets, she asked Murkowski for comment. Murkowski had not seen the tweet, so Seung Min showed it to her. This is standard practice,” added Ginsberg. “If a subject of a story is not aware of the information they are being asked to comment on, reporters share it with them. This only makes sense and is the fair and responsible thing to do.”
Tanden, who has been critical of both Democrats and Republicans, was repeatedly grilled during committee hearings over her past statements. CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/02/politics/kfile-neera-tanden-deleted-tweets-slamming-gop/index.html">reported</a> back in December that Tanden has deleted more than 1,000 tweets from over the years, many critical of GOP senators, amid the prospect of a nomination fight. The tweet about Murkowski, however, was not deleted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fellow-democrats-suggest-sen-joe-manchin-is-racist-sexist-for-opposing-biden-pick-neera-tanden">Fellow Democrats Suggest Sen. Joe Manchin Is Racist, Sexist For Opposing Biden Pick Neera Tanden</a>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-chief-of-staff-tanden-will-be-confirmed-but-well-put-her-somewhere-else-if-shes-not">White House Chief Of Staff: Tanden Will Be Confirmed, But We’ll Put Her Somewhere Else If She’s Not</a>

Senate Impeachment Trial Of President Trump Continues

WaPo Defends Reporter Who Got Hate Online For Asking Murkowski About Tanden Tweet

Lisa Murkowski

Washington Post

Members of President Joe Biden’s team are reportedly seeking the help of Asian-American groups in a last-ditch effort to save his budget chief nominee, Neera Tanden, as the likelihood of her being confirmed by the Senate continues to shrink. 
<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/24/biden-asian-american-save-tanden-471558">Politico</a> reports that the groups are calling Senate offices, sending letters to them, and utilizing social media in order to advocate on behalf of Tanden. The groups are naming the opposition to Tanden as “structural racism” and “institutional racism.”
According to two people familiar with the conversations, the attempts by the groups have been actively encouraged by both the White House and the presidential transition staff, still in place to assist with Senate confirmations, along with the Democratic National Committee.
Gregg Orton, national director of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, said, “It is incredibly frustrating to watch because we are talking about individuals who are preeminently qualified, but also coming from communities that have been screaming at the top of their lungs to be visible and valued by this country.”
Tanden is the daughter of Indian immigrants, and a lot of the groups that are being enlisted to help secure her nomination had already been supporting her since late last year. But, according to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/24/biden-asian-american-save-tanden-471558">Politico</a>, “they — as well as prominent Indian Americans across the country — began to redouble their efforts Friday after Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) said he would oppose her confirmation, putting it in peril.”
Last week, senators of both parties took issue with Tanden’s nomination, citing past offensive tweets. Democrats and interest groups, however, are reportedly making the claim that she is being unjustly targeted because of her race and gender. 
<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/24/biden-asian-american-save-tanden-471558">Politico</a> reports:
<blockquote>The groups are focused on three senators who have yet to declare their intentions: Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a member of the Budget Committee; Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), a moderate who sometimes breaks with her party; and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), who sits on the Homeland Security Committee.
They are also reaching out to two long-shot senators, hoping to change their minds: Manchin and John Cornyn (R-Texas), who co-founded the Senate India Caucus, but this week called on Biden to withdraw Tanden’s nomination.</blockquote>
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-chief-of-staff-tanden-will-be-confirmed-but-well-put-her-somewhere-else-if-shes-not">The Daily Wire</a> reported Wednesday that the Biden administration plans to place Neera Tanden somewhere if she does not get through the confirmation process:
<blockquote>White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain said Wednesday that the Biden administration has been “fighting our guts out” to get Neera Tanden confirmed as director of the Office of Management and Budget, and that she will be confirmed to the position — despite one Democratic senator already opposing her nomination, and despite the list of Republican senators who would consider voting to confirm Tanden shrinking smaller and smaller.
“Let me be clear: We’re going to get Neera Tanden confirmed. That’s what we’re working for, and she will prove her critics wrong as an outstanding budget director that works with people on both sides of the aisle. That’s what I think her record truly shows,” Klain told MSNBC host Joy Reid.
But Klain also said that if Tanden weren’t confirmed, she would be placed in position “that doesn’t require Senate confirmation.” </blockquote>
According to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/24/biden-asian-american-save-tanden-471558">Politico</a>, the White House referred any queries about these efforts of Asian Americans to the presidential transition team. One of the officials on the transition reportedly acknowledged the work, adding that it had been going on since December.

E4378BC1-3A3F-41DE-93BE-BB96DEAAC890_1_201_a

Biden Team Seeking Help From Asian American Groups To Rescue Neera Tanden Nomination

White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain said Wednesday that the Biden administration has been “fighting our guts out” to get Neera Tanden confirmed as director of the Office of Management and Budget, and that she will be confirmed to the position — despite one Democratic senator already opposing her nomination, and despite the list of Republican senators who would consider voting to confirm Tanden shrinking smaller and smaller.
“Let me be clear: We’re going to get Neera Tanden confirmed. That’s what we’re working for, and she will prove her critics wrong as an outstanding budget director that works with people on both sides of the aisle. That’s what I think her record truly shows,&#8221; Klain told <a href="https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/ron-klain-we-re-fighting-our-guts-out-to-get-neera-tanden-confirmed-for-omb-101545029762">MSNBC</a> host Joy Reid.
But Klain also said that if Tanden weren&#8217;t confirmed, she would be placed in position &#8220;that doesn&#8217;t require Senate confirmation.&#8221;
Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced last week that he would not vote to confirm Tanden, leaving the White House scrambling to find a Republican senator to replace his vote and bring them to a narrow majority. But Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT), Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), and Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) have all announced they will oppose Tanden, as has Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), a former White House budget director himself.
“I believe that the tone, the content, and the aggressive partisanship of some of Ms. Tanden’s public statements will make it more difficult for her to work effectively with both parties in this role,” said Portman in a statement, in which he also remarked: “I’m also concerned about her decision to delete thousands of tweets in the month after the election and the lack of transparency in her decision to do so, as well as her lack of experience on key issues for OMB, such as the regulatory and budgeting processes.”
Tanden, the president of the Center for American Progress, has apologized for her past statements. According to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/24/biden-asian-american-save-tanden-471558">Politico</a>, advocacy groups are trying to convince two senators to vote to confirm Tanden: Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).
Murkowski, who recently said she was still looking into Tanden’s nomination, suggested she still had a lot of research to do after a reporter asked her about a tweet Tanden sent that accused the Alaska senator of being “high on your own supply.” Tanden sent the tweet back in 2017, after Murkowski tweeted about taxes and the GOP tax bill, and never deleted it.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
No offense but this sounds like you’re high on your own supply.
You know, we know, and everyone knows this is all garbage. Just stop. <a href="https://t.co/0MzDYCpDyc">https://t.co/0MzDYCpDyc</a>
— Neera Tanden (@neeratanden) <a href="https://twitter.com/neeratanden/status/936460699366318081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2017</a></blockquote>
&#8220;&#8216;High on my own supply,&#8217; that&#8217;s interesting,&#8221; Murkowski, who reportedly didn’t realize Tanden had also criticized her on social media, told reporters Wednesday, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewSolender/status/1364696663835742209">Forbes</a>. &#8220;Apparently I&#8217;m gonna have to do more looking into what she thinks of me.&#8221;

White House Chief Of Staff: Tanden Will Be Confirmed, But We’ll Put Her Somewhere Else If She’s Not

Two Senate committees have postponed Wednesday hearings with Neera Tanden, President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
The postponements are the latest sign that Tanden’s nomination is in trouble after a number of moderate senators on both sides of the aisle have announced opposition to her confirmation. The White House has continued to back Tanden to lead OMB despite the increasingly long odds that the Senate will confirm her.
“We are postponing the business meeting because members are asking for more time to consider the nominee,” a Senate Homeland Security Committee aide told <a href="https://www.axios.com/neera-tanden-omb-hearing-postponed-bb36615a-e448-46a0-92b8-dffd27b73a3e.html">Axios</a> on Wednesday morning. “The president deserves to have a team in place that he wants, and we’re going to work with our members to figure out the best path forward.”
The Senate Budget Committee has also postponed a hearing with the nominee, according to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-budget-office-nominee-tanden-to-face-committee-votes-amid-opposition-11614168007?mod=hp_lead_pos3">The Wall Street Journal</a>. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki reiterated Biden’s support of Tanden on Wednesday.
“Neera Tanden is a leading policy expert who brings critical qualifications to the table during the this time of unprecedented crisis,” Psaki said. “She also has important perspective and values, understanding firsthand the powerful difference policy can make in the lives of those going through hard times. She has a broad spectrum of support ranging from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to labor unions, and has a strong record of working with both parties that we expect to grow in President Biden’s cabinet as the first South Asian woman to lead OMB.”
Tanden’s nomination fell into trouble on Friday after Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/manchin-key-senate-dem-vote-to-oppose-biden-nominee-neera-tanden-for-overly-partisan-statements">Joe Manchin</a> (D-WV) announced that he would not be backing her nomination to lead the OMB. With a 50-50 split in the Senate, Democrats have no votes to spare without needing to secure the help of a moderate Republican. No Republicans have publicly voiced support for Tanden, while several moderates have said they intend to vote against her.
“I have carefully reviewed Nerra Tanden’s public statements and tweets that were personally directed towards my colleagues on both sides of the aisle from Senator Sanders to Senator McConnell and others. I believe her overly partisan statements will have a toxic and detrimental impact on the important working relationship between members of Congress and the next director of the Office of Management and Budget,” Manchin said in a statement. “For this reason, I cannot support her nomination.”
“As I have said before, we must take meaningful steps to end the political division and dysfunction that pervades our politics,” he added. “At a time of grave crisis, it is more important than ever that we chart a new bipartisan course that helps address the many serious challenges our nation is facing.”
Manchin has taken heat from fellow Democrats over his opposition to Tanden. Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fellow-democrats-suggest-sen-joe-manchin-is-racist-sexist-for-opposing-biden-pick-neera-tanden">Grace Meng</a> (D-NY) insinuated that Manchin’s opposition is based in sexism.
“We can disagree with her tweets, but in the past, Trump nominees that they’ve confirmed and supported had much more serious issues and conflicts than just something that was written on Twitter,” Meng said on Monday. “This is not just about any one nominee like Neera, or whoever else — it’s just about this pattern that is happening and increasingly hard to ignore.”

Biden Cabinet Pick In Doubt After Senate Committees Postpone Hearings

Joe Manchin

U.S. Senate

Democrats and their allies are beginning to suggest Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) is both sexist and racist for opposing Biden nominee Neera Tanden to head the Office of Management and Budget.
Manchin, who holds a crucial swing vote in the Senate, has come out <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/schumer-biden-still-trying-extra-174000879.html">against</a> Tanden for her past &#8220;overtly partisan statements&#8221; that he fears &#8220;will have a toxic and detrimental impact on the important working relationship between members of Congress and the next&#8221; OMB director.
&#8220;Women’s rights activists and allied Democrats are growing increasingly vocal about what they call the unfair targeting of women and people of color nominated by Joe Biden to top posts in his administration,&#8221; a lengthy <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/22/biden-nominations-gop-manchin-tanden-471080">report</a> published Monday at Politico argued.
&#8220;Their fears had been bubbling for weeks, as Biden’s nominees of color came under sharp attack from conservative groups or saw their nominations delayed or opposed in greater numbers,&#8221; the report added. &#8220;But the worries burst out into the open over the weekend as Neera Tanden’s nomination to lead the Office of Management and Budget neared defeat at the hands of a Democrat.&#8221;
Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), head of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, suggested there is a &#8220;double standard&#8221; when it comes to nominees.
“There&#8217;s a double standard going on,” accused Chu. &#8220;Her (Tanden) nomination is very significant for us Asian American and Pacific Islanders. I do believe that this double standard has to do with the fact that she would be a pioneer in that position.”
Politico noted that Manchin voted to confirm Trump-pick Richard Grenell, &#8220;the acid-tongued Trump booster, to the post of U.S. ambassador to Germany,&#8221; seemingly agreeing with the left-wing accusations: 
<blockquote>
Inside the White House, it did not go unnoticed that many of the lawmakers objecting to Tanden’s social media missives—including Manchin—voted to confirm Richard Grenell, the acid-tongued Trump booster, to the post of U.S. ambassador to Germany. Democrats on and off the Hill likewise argued that Tanden, who is of South Asian descent, was one of several nominees of color being treated differently than Trump-era nominees who lobbed personal attacks or expressed bigoted views.
</blockquote>
Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) spoke of a &#8220;pattern that is happening and increasingly hard to ignore&#8221; when it comes to certain nominees and Manchin.
“We can disagree with her tweets, but in the past, Trump nominees that they&#8217;ve confirmed and supported had much more serious issues and conflicts than just something that was written on Twitter,” Meng said. “This is not just about any one nominee like Neera, or whoever else — it&#8217;s just about this pattern that is happening and increasingly hard to ignore.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Is there a pattern here??? Hope they’re using the same standard and not moving goal posts for only certain nominees. <a href="https://twitter.com/DebHaalandNM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DebHaalandNM</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/neeratanden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@neeratanden</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/vivek_murthy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@vivek_murthy</a> <a href="https://t.co/TN2oMc05s5">https://t.co/TN2oMc05s5</a>
&mdash; Grace Meng (@Grace4NY) <a href="https://twitter.com/Grace4NY/status/1363941147584978952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2021</a></blockquote>
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As highlighted by Politico, Democrat-allied Ilyse Hogue, the outgoing president of the abortion group NARAL Pro-Choice America, leveled accusations of sexism.
Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh “went nuts in the hearing on senators,” she claimed. “They&#8217;re saying that Neera cannot be confirmed because of the tone of her tweets. It feels paper-thin to me and certainly a different standard for how they expect women to speak versus the men that they voted to confirm.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/portman-joins-collins-romney-in-opposing-biden-nominee-neera-tanden">Portman Joins Collins, Romney, In Opposing Biden Nominee Neera Tanden</a>

U.S. Representative Judy Chu (D-CA) speaking at a rally at

Fellow Democrats Suggest Sen. Joe Manchin Is Racist, Sexist For Opposing Biden Pick Neera Tanden

Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) said Monday he will not vote to confirm Neera Tanden, the president of the Center for American Progress, to lead the Office of Management and Budget in the Biden administration, further jeopardizing her path to confirmation. 
Portman, a former director of the Office of Management and Budget, said that he’d previously “expressed concern” about Biden’s decision to nominate Tanden, who was recently grilled by various senators over her past comments she’s made on social media. 
“As a former OMB Director, I know that the OMB Director has to be able to work productively with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle. I believe that the tone, the content, and the aggressive partisanship of some of Ms. Tanden’s public statements will make it more difficult for her to work effectively with both parties in this role,” said Portman in a statement Monday. 
“I’m also concerned about her decision to delete thousands of tweets in the month after the election and the lack of transparency in her decision to do so, as well as her lack of experience on key issues for OMB, such as the regulatory and budgeting processes. While the president has the right to choose his own Cabinet, and thus far I have supported all of this administration’s nominees, I will not be supporting the confirmation of Ms. Tanden,” he said. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I will not be supporting Neera Tanden&#8217;s confirmation to be the next OMB Director.
My full statement: <a href="https://t.co/nkES1oS5T7">https://t.co/nkES1oS5T7</a> <a href="https://t.co/yFrckmrlE7">pic.twitter.com/yFrckmrlE7</a>
— Rob Portman (@senrobportman) <a href="https://twitter.com/senrobportman/status/1363986913590444035?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2021</a></blockquote>
Biden has nominated 23 people to cabinet-level positions, and so far, each of the seven nominees who has been voted on has been confirmed. However, Tanden’s nomination has been threatening to put that streak at stake ever since Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) said he would vote against her due to her past “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/manchin-key-senate-dem-vote-to-oppose-biden-nominee-neera-tanden-for-overly-partisan-statements">overly partisan</a>” statements. Back on Friday, President Joe Biden said he would find the votes to have her confirmed. 
With the Senate split 50-50, Democrats would need to get one Republican senator on board with Tanden in order to compensate for the loss of Manchin, in addition to losing no other Senate Democrats. Both Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Susan Collins (R-ME), other potential opportunities for a GOP pick-up vote, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mitt-romney-to-join-susan-collins-oppose-neera-tanden-confirmation">have ruled out</a> voting to confirm Tanden. 
&#8220;Congress has to be able to trust the OMB director to make countless decisions in an impartial manner, carrying out the letter of the law and congressional intent,&#8221; said Collins, according to a <a href="https://www.axios.com/susan-collins-neera-tanden-ce400884-dade-4d02-a8ec-f705b76681e4.html">statement</a> obtained by Axios. &#8220;Neera Tanden has neither the experience nor the temperament to lead this critical agency. Her past actions have demonstrated exactly the kind of animosity that President Biden has pledged to transcend.&#8221;
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), according to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/22/collins-oppose-tanden-jeopardize-nomination-470801">POLITICO</a>, said Monday that she has not reached a decision on the Tanden nomination, and told reporters that she was &#8220;still visiting&#8221; the idea. Senator Kirsten Sinema (D-AZ) has not weighed in on how she would vote on a Tanden nomination.

Neera Tanden Confirmation Hearing To Be OMB Director Before Senate Budget Committee

Portman Joins Collins, Romney, In Opposing Biden Nominee Neera Tanden

Mitt Romney

Rob Portman

Susan Collins

On Monday, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) joined Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in announcing he would be opposing Neera Tanden, President Joe Biden&#8217;s pick for the White House Office of Management and Budget. This has reportedly placed Biden&#8217;s nominee on an increasingly difficult path to confirmation.
Moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia initiated the complications when he announced on Friday that he would oppose Tanden, citing her Twitter feed.
As reported by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/report-collins-unlikely-to-support-tanden-narrowing-path-for-biden-nominee">The Daily Wire</a> on Monday,
<blockquote>Last week, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced that he would vote against Tanden, citing “overly partisan statements” that she’s made about his Republican and Democratic colleagues:
&#8220;I have carefully reviewed Nerra Tanden’s public statements and tweets that were personally directed towards my colleagues on both sides of the aisle from Senator Sanders to Senator McConnell and others. I believe her overly partisan statements will have a toxic and detrimental impact on the important working relationship between members of Congress and the next director of the Office of Management and Budget. For this reason, I cannot support her nomination.
&#8220;As I have said before, we must take meaningful steps to end the political division and dysfunction that pervades our politics,” added the Democratic senator from West Virginia. “At a time of grave crisis, it is more important than ever that we chart a new bipartisan course that helps address the many serious challenges our nation is facing.&#8221;</blockquote>
It does not appear that Biden will be replacing his nominee, however, as his press secretary tweeted support of Tanden on Monday morning.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that Tanden was an &#8220;accomplished policy expert,&#8221; and that she would be the first Asian-American woman to lead the OMB. She also added that Tanden &#8220;has lived experience having benefitted from a number of federal programs as a kid &#8230;&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Neera Tanden=accomplished policy expert, would be 1st Asian American woman to lead OMB, has lived experience having benefitted from a number of federal programs as a kid, looking ahead to the committee votes this week and continuing to work toward her confirmation
&mdash; Karine Jean-Pierre (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1363845960502280201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/report-collins-unlikely-to-support-tanden-narrowing-path-for-biden-nominee">The Daily Wire</a> reported on Tanden&#8217;s response to the criticism during her committee hearings.
<blockquote>“I recognize that my language and my expressions on social media caused hurt to people, and I feel badly about that,” said Tanden. “I really regret it, and I recognize it’s really important for me to demonstrate that I can work with others, and I look forward to taking that burden, and I apologize to people on either the Left or Right who are hurt by what I’ve said.”
“Social media does lead to too many personal comments, and my approach will be radically different,” she added.</blockquote>
Collins said in a <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/sen-susan-collins-deals-neera-tanden-s-omb-nomination-another-n1258483">statement</a> Monday morning, “Neera Tanden has neither the experience nor the temperament to lead this critical agency &#8230; Her past actions have demonstrated exactly the kind of animosity that President Biden has pledged to transcend.&#8221;
She added, &#8220;Should Congress need to review documents or actions taken by OMB, we must have confidence that the director will be forthcoming &#8230; The OMB needs steady, experienced, responsive leadership. I will vote against confirming Ms. Tanden.”
Collins also <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/22/collins-oppose-tanden-jeopardize-nomination-470801">reportedly</a> took issue with the fact that Tanden had deleted previous tweets before her nomination, saying the decision to do so “raises concerns about her commitment to transparency.”
Romney’s spokeswoman <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/republican-senator-collins-will-oppose-neera-tandens-nomination-to-lead-omb-11613999942">said</a> the Republican senator of Utah “believes it’s hard to return to comity and respect with a nominee who has issued a thousand mean tweets&#8230;&#8221;
Manchin&#8217;s announcement last week that he would vote &#8220;no&#8221; meant that at least one Republican senator needed to vote for Tanden in order for her confirmation to be successful. Romney and Collins were seen as viable candidates, but it is unclear which Republican could take their place.

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