Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slams Biden’s choice for ambassador to Japan: ‘Embarrassment’
Thomas McDonald
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New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez issued a scathing statement Wednesday on President Biden’s nominee for ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emmanuel.
“This nominee is deeply shameful,” AOC’s statement reads. “As mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emmanuel helped cover up the murder of Laquan McDonald – a mere teenager when he was shot 16 times in the back by a Chicago Police Officer,” the statement says.
The socialist congresswoman claims that Emmanuel’s alleged “cover up” of the murder of McDonald makes him disqualified from future service in government.
“This alone should be flatly disqualifying for any position of public trust, let alone representing the United States as an ambassador.” her statement continued. That the Biden Administration seeks to reward Emmanuel with an ambassadorship is an embarrassment and betrayal of the values we seek to uphold both within our nation and around the world.”
AOC goes on to urge the Senate to vote NO on his confirmation.
Rahm Emanuel served as former President Barack Obama’s first White House chief of staff before becoming mayor of Chicago in 2011.
In 2015, Emanuel was implicated in an alleged cover-up of the police shooting of teenager Laquan McDonald. Video revealed that the Chicago police department’s initial story was untrue and that McDonald was, in fact, walking away from the officer who fired 16 shots at his back.
The officer, Jason Van Dyke, was convicted of murdering McDonald and is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence.
AOC and other progressives, including Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) and Mondaire Jones (D-NY), opposed Emanuel for any nomination amid reports after the 2020 election that Biden was considering him for transportation secretary.
“Rahm Emanuel should not be considered for any position within the Biden administration,” Bowman tweeted in November.