The White House spent the day before Rahm Emanuel’s Senate confirmation hearing defending him as its nominee to become U.S. ambassador to Japan.
President Joe Biden choosing Emanuel, which comes amid complaints regarding the former Chicago mayor and Obama administration-era White House chief of staff’s handling of a police shooting involving a black teenager, does not negate his desire for criminal justice reform, according to press secretary Jen Psaki.
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“The president’s record, commitment, to police reform speaks for itself,” she told reporters Tuesday. “It is something he would like to get done. He would like to sign it into law. It is far overdue, and it is a priority for him in his administration.”
Biden has tapped ambassadors based on their qualifications, “whether it’s from business, public service, or other reasons,” according to Psaki. She did not say whether Biden and Emanuel spoke about Laquan McDonald’s shooting death during the confirmation process.
“Obviously, he’s somebody who he was familiar with. He knew his record, long-standing, prior to the nomination,” Psaki said of Biden and Emanuel. “And the president has made his own comments about that case.”
Critics accuse Emanuel of supporting a police cover-up after a court ordered the release of dashcam footage of McDonald’s death in 2015, more than a year after the incident. In that video, McDonald can be seen walking away from officers with a knife before he was shot 16 times.
Critics argued Emmanuel helped delay the video after Emanuel’s tough reelection for a second term as the Windy City’s chief executive. Emanuel denies those claims, saying he had not seen the footage before it was made public.
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Emanuel’s confirmation has been opposed by some Democrats, similar to former Office of Management and Budget director pick Neera Tanden. Tanden pulled her nomination in March.
