After more than three months, the Senate Judiciary Committee has approved Loretta Lynch’s nomination for attorney general, sending her nomination to the Senate floor for a final vote, reports The New York Times.
Lynch, who was appointed by President Obama in November, has faced intensive questioning from Republican senators, many of whom have strongly opposed her confirmation. They have delayed her confirmation by 110 days, which is more than any other nominee for attorney general in history. However, the committee approved her confirmation today in a 12 to 8 vote.
“I supported advancing Loretta Lynch’s nomination to the floor today because her record of service over several decades shows that she is well qualified to be attorney general,” Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) told the Times. “There is good reason to believe that Ms. Lynch will be more independent than the current attorney general and make strides toward recommitting the department to the rule of law.”
After Lynch answered 897 written questions, Republican committee members expressed skepticism toward her stance on immigration, which aligns with the president’s controversial policy. According to the Times, Democrats feel that Republicans are taking out their frustrations toward President Obama on Lynch.
“The hard right, upset over the president’s immigration policies, is grasping at straws to have a fight, any fight, over immigration,” sand Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) to the Times. “Loretta Lynch, a supremely qualified nominee for a vital national security and law enforcement post, should never have been pulled into the fray.”
If confirmed, Lynch will replace Attorney General Eric Holder, who announced his resignation in September. A final vote is expected within the next two weeks.