Senate Confirms Loretta Lynch as Attorney General After Long Delay

[George II]

Source: New York Times

WASHINGTON — After one of the nation’s most protracted cabinet-level confirmation delays, the Senate Thursday approved Loretta Lynch to be attorney general. She is the first African-American woman to hold the position.

Ms. Lynch, the United States attorney for the Eastern District of New York, was confirmed 56 to 43, with 10 Republicans voting for her.

Her confirmation took longer than that for all but two other nominees for the office: Edwin Meese III, who was nominated by President Ronald Reagan, and A. Mitchell Palmer, who was picked by President Woodrow Wilson, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Republicans have found themselves in a quandary for months. They longed to replace Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., and they agreed that Ms. Lynch was qualified for the job. But they opposed her because Ms. Lynch defended President Obama’s executive actions on immigration.


Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/24/us/politics/loretta-lynch-attorney-general-vote.html?module=Notification&version=BreakingNews&region=FixedTop&action=Click&contentCollection=BreakingNews&contentID=32948312&pgtype=Homepage&_r=1

---

Link thanks to elleng.

I can't believe there were so many no votes!

[Action_Patrol]

1. The 'no' votes

Are simply from the people that can say 'I opposed every nomination Obama sent us rabble rabble rabble'

It's a charade

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Great news! Thanks for posting it. n/t

[Thinkingabout]

4. Yes, it is confirmed, live coverage at 2:02 ET. Perhaps the GOP

finally realized this is something which needs to happen especially since their declared hate for Eric Holder was so deep, oh, then by all means keep Holder on longer than needed.

[Lucky Luciano]

14. Or a favor given Obama is working with the gop on the TPP. nt

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

5. The initial wait was because she is a minority and a woman, and the male whites

of the senate had to make sure she knew her place, that she was to shut up and wait until they, her superiors, nodded to her to allow her to talk or exist.

Then most of the vile FUCKS voted against her

ANYONE who VOTES in a way that results in these MOTHERFUCKERS getting elected should not talk to me, EVER

[onecaliberal]

27. ^^^ That^^^

These people are vile.

[leftynyc]

6. I'm not surprised at all

If Pres Obama came out in favor of breathing - 46 cons would immediately hold their breath.

[3catwoman3]

34. Let's have him do...

...just that.

[Rhiannon12866]

40. +1000!

[elleng]

7. Great news! Link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/24/us/politics/loretta-lynch-attorney-general-vote.html?module=Notification&version=BreakingNews®ion=FixedTop&action=Click&contentCollection=BreakingNews&contentID=32948312&pgtype=Homepage&_r=0

The vote also served as a lens on the 2016 elections. “The Republican majority if it so chose could defeat this confirmation,” said Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, a Republican presidential candidate, who called Ms. Lynch “lawless.”

Mr. Cruz’s comments were immediately answered by several Democrats, who came to the floor to defend Ms. Lynch, recall her personal and professional accomplishments, and assail Mr. Cruz and his colleagues who opposed her.

“This should be a happy day for America,” said Senator Claire McCaskill, Democrat Missouri. She said Republicans opposed Ms. Lynch merely because “she agrees with the man who selected her,” a posture Ms. McCaskill called “beyond depressing — it’s disgusting.”

Senator Kelly Ayotte, a New Hampshire Republican who faces re-election next year, was among those in her party who voted for Ms. Lynch. “Ms. Lynch is a well-respected U.S. attorney with a proven record and significant experience handling difficult cases,” Ms. Ayotte said in a prepared statement. “After meeting with her and reviewing her qualifications, I believe she is clearly qualified and has the necessary experience to serve as Attorney General.”

[George II]

12. Thanks, was still looking for an actual article - I'll update my OP

[staggerleem]

32. And since he comes from Texas ...

... Ted Cruz knows what it means to be lawless!

[elleng]

33. Damn right he does.

[swag]

8. Here's a link

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/loretta-lynch-confirmation-likely-today-in-senate-after-5-month-wait/2015/04/23/d8a3d9a8-e96d-11e4-9a6a-c1ab95a0600b_story.html

[gademocrat7]

9. Finally!

[Solly Mack]

10. K&R

[Spitfire of ATJ]

11. MSNBC is on it....

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/loretta-lynch-confirmed-senate-attorney-general-n347066

[totodeinhere]

13. A few Republicans joined every Democrat in confirming her nomination.

But yes most Republicans voted against her. Thank you to the few who did support her since she could not have been confirmed with only Democratic votes.

BTW, she is going to be a great USAG.

[emulatorloo]

15. Excellent! Thanks for posting and letting us know!

[chapdrum]

16. Cannot wait

for her to make good on her apparently expressed opposition to medicinal cannabis, and to pursue prosecution via alleged money laundering.

[diabeticman]

17. FINALLY!

[One_Life_To_Give]

18. Reward for all her Wall Street Prosecutions? nt

[marlakay]

19. After reading about how strongly she is against pot

I am not celebrating. She is going to do everything she can to keep pot illegal and fight it federally even where we voted it in.

There is a new bipartisan bill that says even more forcefully for the feds to back off but i will be surprised if they allow it to come up for a vote.

I don't see the feds protecting abortion clinics which are legal in red states, so leave our blue pot states alone!!!

[chapdrum]

20. yes marlakay

and surely you've noticed - the animus for cannabis is NEVER questioned, in the same way that it remains a Schedule 1 drug (along with heroin and cocaine).

[staggerleem]

35. Senators Gillibrand & Booker have proposed a bill ...

... to re-list MJ as Schedule II, so let's see what comes of that. The President has voiced support for it (which may, of course, kill it in it's crib given this Congress.)

[rollin74]

38. I agree

I can't support a Prohibitionist drug warrior as AG. She might turn out to be a big step backward from Holder on the the question of marijuana. This is not good IMO.

[William769]

21. It's about fucking time.

[realFedUp]

22. Democratic reply

There should be an ad on this nomination, her experience and Majority of Rethugs not voting for her. Shame. I hope all intelligent people remember this.

[George II]

23. Only one Senator wasn't on hand to vote - Ted Cruz was too busy in NY raising money!

[3catwoman3]

24. Here are the 10 Republicans who voted...

...for Ms. Lynch -

The Senate voted 56–43 in favor of Lynch, approving her with help of Sens. Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), Thad Cochran (Miss.), Susan Collins (Maine), Jeff Flake (Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Orrin Hatch (Utah), Ron Johnson (Wis.), Mark Kirk (Ill.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

[alp227]

25. LOL, Mitch McConnell voted for Lynch?

He of "make Obama a one-term president" fame and non-stop obstruction?

Anyway the nay votes:

NAYs ---43
Alexander (R-TN)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Blunt (R-MO)
Boozman (R-AR)
Burr (R-NC)
Capito (R-WV)
Cassidy (R-LA)
Coats (R-IN)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Cotton (R-AR)
Crapo (R-ID)
Daines (R-MT)
Enzi (R-WY)
Ernst (R-IA)
Fischer (R-NE)
Gardner (R-CO)
Grassley (R-IA)
Heller (R-NV)
Hoeven (R-ND)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Lankford (R-OK)
Lee (R-UT)
McCain (R-AZ)
Moran (R-KS)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Paul (R-KY)
Perdue (R-GA)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Rounds (R-SD)
Rubio (R-FL)
Sasse (R-NE)
Scott (R-SC)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Sullivan (R-AK)
Thune (R-SD)
Tillis (R-NC)
Toomey (R-PA)
Vitter (R-LA)
Wicker (R-MS)

[TNNurse]

31. So both of my asshole Republican senators

Alexander and Corker voted against her. I am not surprised and unable to say I won't vote for them because of it, since I did not vote for them before. I would like to ask (and I will if I get the chance), what they had against her other than she is Black/Female and a Democrat. And of course because she was nominated by President Obama....what was I thinking?

[alp227]

26. back in 2007 Mukasey had 40 "noes" from Senate Democrats.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00407

And Ashcroft got 42 nays from Democrats.

What's really unprecedented is the ~six month DELAY of her confirmation.

[merrily]

30. Kabuki.

[missingfink]

28. The 'No' voters

Voting 'No' to Lynch plays well to most of their supporters. It is telling that many of those up for re-election voted 'Yes'. Civility and advancing what is good for the country is all but gone among the ranks of the GOP.

[elleng]

36. Has been gone for some time, missingfink.

[merrily]

29. I gave up trying to understand Republicans years ago.

[BumRushDaShow]

37. K&R

[LiberalFighter]

39. Loretta Lynch should find a position within the Justice Department for Eric Holder.

That will irk the Republicans.

[niyad]

41. about damned time!