Senator Booker Faces Backlash for Confirming Convicted Kushner as Ambassador

Senator Cory Booker, a Democrat from New Jersey, has faced significant backlash after being the only Democrat to vote for the confirmation of Charles Kushner, father-in-law to Ivanka Trump, as U.S. ambassador to France. Kushner, a real estate developer and member of the Trump family circle, was convicted in 2005 of multiple felonies including tax evasion and witness tampering but was pardoned by President Trump in 2020. Booker's vote, which joined the majority of Republicans in a 51-45 Senate confirmation, has been widely criticized by progressive activists and political commentators as hypocritical, especially given Booker's previous high-profile opposition to Trump and his administration. Critics have pointed to Booker's long-standing relationship with Kushner, including Kushner's past financial support of Booker's political campaigns, as a possible motivation for the vote. Despite the criticism, Booker defended his choice by citing their collaboration on bipartisan criminal justice reform. The confirmation has sparked intense debate about political loyalties and integrity within Booker’s party and amongst his supporters.