On Dec. 18, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel as ambassador to Japan.
According to The Chicago Tribune, the Senate voted 48-to-21 to confirm Emanuel, with the longtime political operator receiving supportand oppositionfrom Democrats and Republicans.
The vote came in the middle of the night after Democrats struck a deal with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). Cruz agreed to lift a hold he had placed on 32 of President Joe Biden's nominees in exchange for allowing a vote next month on legislation related to a Russian gas pipeline on which Cruz has wanted to place sanctions.
Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey, both of Massachusetts; and Jeff Merkley, of Oregon, voted against Emanuel while progressive independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont did not vote. Eight Republicans voted in favor of Emanuel, including Susan Collins, of Maine; and Ben Sasse, of Nebraska.
Civil-rights leaders and prominent progressives argued Emanuel's handling of Laquan McDonald's murder by Chicago police while he was mayor should disqualify him for representing the United States abroad.