Loretta Lynch passes key Senate hurdle. Set to be next attorney general?
Loretta Lynch cleared a major Senate procedural hurdle on Thursday and now looks all but certain to be confirmed as the next attorney general of the United States.
That does not sit well with some conservatives, who argue that her support for President Obama鈥檚 immigration policies should disqualify her from serving as the nation鈥檚 top law enforcement officer.
鈥淭he president鈥檚 policy is to allow people unlawfully here to take jobs in America 鈥� a policy she has explicitly stated she intends to defend,鈥� said Sen. Jeff Sessions (R) of Alabama. 鈥淲e should not confirm someone to that position who intends to continue that unlawful policy.鈥�
Ms. Lynch is currently the highest-ranking federal prosecutor in Brooklyn, N.Y. If confirmed, she would succeed Eric Holder, a combative liberal whom many Republicans would like to see replaced. That鈥檚 another factor at play in a nomination that鈥檚 become entwined with a number of issues outside of Lynch鈥檚 professional qualifications.
These complications have lengthened Lynch鈥檚 nomination period. It鈥檚 been almost four months since Mr. Obama tapped her as Mr. Holder鈥檚 replacement 鈥� the longest such wait for an up-or-down confirmation vote in modern US history, according to Sen. Patrick Leahy (D) of Vermont, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. (Republicans note that Obama resubmitted the nomination on Jan. 7 after Republicans took control of the Senate.)
On Thursday, the Judiciary panel approved Lynch鈥檚 nomination, sending it to the full Senate for consideration. The vote was 12 to 8, with three Republicans joining all nine committee Democrats in favor.
The GOP lawmakers were Sens. Orrin Hatch of Utah, Jeff Flake of Arizona, and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. They鈥檇 previously announced support for Lynch, rendering Thursday鈥檚 vote somewhat moot. Some conservatives denounced them as sellouts, as further proof that much of the Washington GOP establishment, particularly senior senators, are not really interested in fighting as hard as they can for principles they say they believe in.
鈥淒id the 2014 midterms really happen? Less than three months after a red tide rolled over the country, the Senate Republican Rollover Caucus is back to its default position in Washington, D.C.,鈥� after it became apparent earlier this month that Lynch would gain Senate Judiciary Committee approval.
Under Senate rules pushed through by then-majority leader Harry Reid (D) in 2013, filibustering nominations isn鈥檛 allowed, except for Supreme Court nominees. That means Lynch will need four or more GOP votes on the Senate floor to win confirmation. Presumably, she鈥檒l still have the backing of Senators Hatch, Flake, and Graham. It鈥檚 likely she鈥檒l pick up at least one more from blue or purple state Republican lawmakers such as Sens. Mark Kirk of Illinois or Susan Collins of Maine.
So if Democrats stay solidly behind her, she鈥檚 got a very good chance of soon taking the helm of the Justice Department. She鈥檇 be the first African-American woman to do so.
As to Republicans frustrated that their party has lost yet another means of influence it might use to try to block Obama鈥檚 immigration actions, Graham had a somewhat provocative retort.
鈥淭o those who really believe this is a constitutional overreach of historic proportions, you have impeachment available to you,鈥� he said.
