On Capitol Hill, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a confirmation hearing Wednesday for Rahm Emanuel, President Biden’s nominee to become the next U.S. ambassador to Japan. Emanuel served as President Obama’s chief of staff and was mayor of Chicago during the police killing of Laquan McDonald, a 17-year-old African American who was murdered by white police officer Jason Van Dyke in 2014.

Emanuel’s nomination drew fire from progressives. Missouri Congressmember Cori Bush tweeted, “In case you’re wondering how much the Senate values Black lives: They’re holding the confirmation hearing for Rahm Emanuel on the 7-year-anniversary of the police’s murder of Laquan McDonald. A murder that he helped cover up as Mayor. A disgusting disregard for Black lives.”

During Wednesday’s hearing, Emanuel stopped short of an apology but said he was regretful over McDonald’s murder.

Rahm Emanuel: “I said then, ’I’m the mayor, and I’m responsible and accountable for fixing this so this never happens again.’ And to be honest, there’s not a day or a week that has gone by in the last seven years I haven’t thought about this and thought about the what-ifs and the changes and what could have been.”