President Biden’s nominee to head the Office of Management and Budget, Neera Tanden, faced intense questioning on Wednesday over her past comments attacking progressives, as well as her ties to big business. Tanden has served as president of the Center for American Progress since 2011. This is Senator Bernie Sanders, chair of the Senate Budget Committee.

Sen. Bernie Sanders: “Your attacks were not just made against Republicans. There were vicious attacks made against progressives, people who I have worked with, me personally. … Can you reflect a little bit about some of your decisions and the personal statements that you have made in recent years?”

Neera Tanden: “Yes, Senator. I really appreciate that question, and I recognize that my language and my expressions on social media, you know, caused hurt to people. And I feel badly about that.”

Senator Sanders also grilled Neera Tanden about the Center for American Progress’s reliance on corporate donations.

Sen. Bernie Sanders: “According to The Washington Post, since 2014, the Center for American Progress has received roughly $5.5 million from Walmart, a company that pays its workers starvation wages; $900,000 from the Bank of America; $550,000 from JPMorgan Chase; $550,000 from Amazon; $200,000 from Wells Fargo; $800,000 from Facebook; and up to $1.4 million from Google. In other words, CAP has received money from some of the most powerful special interests in our country. How will your relationship with those very powerful special interests impact your decision-making if you are appointed to be the head of OMB?”

Neera Tanden: “Senator, I thank you for that question. It will have zero impact on my — on my decision-making.”