Senate committee hits deadlock on Biden nomination for embassy in Brazil

The U.S. Senate’s Committee on Foreign Relations was split 11-11 on Thursday on whether to confirm Elizabeth Frawley Bagley as the country’s ambassador to Brazil.

Ms. Bagley was considered a slam-dunk appointment, but she began to face fierce opposition from the Republican Jewish Coalition after remarks she made in a 1998 interview. Ms. Bagley spoke about the “major money” and influence of the “Jewish lobby” in politics.

During Ms. Bagley’s confirmation hearing last month, Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland said her comments “fit into the traditional tropes of antisemitism.” Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey also raised concerns about comments on Cuban Americans.

“You said there is, quote, ‘no reason for the Democrats to think they could get the Cuban vote, but they still thought they could get money from them, and they did […] Again, it’s not numbers, it’s like the Jewish factor. It’s money,” Mr. Menendez said. 

“So explain to me what you meant by that. Is it a suggestion that a group of Americans doesn’t have the right to engage in the political process as others do?”

In response to the senators, Ms. Bagley blamed her “poor choice of words,” for which she was “very sorry that we even had the interview.” She added that her declarations don’t “reflect [her] thinking then and now.”

“It was a stupid thing to say. I regret those comments,” she replied to...