White House To Withdraw Nomination Of Neera Tanden To Lead Office Of Management And Budget
Joe Biden’s administration suffered its first major setback in securing confirmation of administration nominees, after Neera Tanden withdraw her nomination as the next director of the Office of Management and Budget.
“I have accepted Neera Tanden’s request to withdraw her name from nomination for Director of the Office of Management and Budget,” Biden said in a statement. “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.”
More from Deadline
It has been clear for some time that Tanden was unlikely to secure enough votes for confirmation amid Republican opposition, which largely focused on her past social media posts in which she at times blasted lawmakers in both parties. Although Democrats control the Senate, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) announced that he would be voting against her, all but sinking her chances.
The White House also released a letter that Tanden sent to Biden, in which she wrote, “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 has been president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, the liberal think tank, and advised Hillary Clinton in her 2016 presidential campaign.
The White House had expressed confidence that they could secure Tanden’s confirmation, while many of her backers saw a double standard in the way that Republicans opposed her, given that they spent the past four years often avoiding or ignoring inflammatory tweets sent by Donald Trump.
Best of Deadline
Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.