Loretta Lynch fields questions from senators. (Madeline Fox/MNS)
WASHINGTON- Loretta Lynch faced a blaze of questions from Senate Judiciary Committee members Wednesday as she fought to be judged on her own record as she seeks to become Attorney General Eric Holder’s successor.
Lynch was forced to answer many questions inspired by Holder’s actions during his six years-plus as attorney general, namely challenging her ability to stay clear of political bias.
“I believe the Department of Justice has behaved more like a partisan operation for the president than an impartial law enforcement agency,” said Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.
Cruz, like other lawmakers on the panel, asked Lynch how she would differ from Holder. Lynch served on Holder’s advisory committee and was tapped to lead the investigation into the death of Eric Garner, the Staten Island man who died in a confrontation with New York police.
Holder frustrated the GOP many times during his term. Notably, he was held in contempt of Congress because of his reluctance to release certain documents relating to Operation Fast and Furious. The operation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and permitted the sale of illegal guns in hopes of following the weapons and catching leaders of the Mexican drug cartel. A U.S. Border Patrol Agent was later killed and one of the illegally sold guns was found at the scene.
At the Judiciary hearing, Lynch said she would be her own person. “I will be Loretta Lynch. I will be the person I have always been as I have led my office through two terms as United States Attorney.”
Lynch is the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, which includes Brooklyn. She was unanimously confirmed both times for that post, and if she receives a simple majority in the full Senate this time, she will become be the first African-American woman to serve as attorney general.
President Barack Obama announced in September that Holder would be stepping down. But Holder remained in office through the fall elections and into the new year. Obama nominated Lynch for the position on Nov. 8.
“I have a huge concern regarding what I think is the president’s illegal, unconstitutional executive amnesty,” said Sen. David Vitter, R-La, in reference to the executive order on immigration. “And I have a huge concern of the fact that you think it is within the law.”
Lynch responded to this question and similar ones from Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., by reinforcing that she plans to make decisions depending on whether actions fall within the “legal framework” of the Constitution.
However, some Democrats claim the questions were politically motivated, caused by the GOP’s frustrations with Obama going it alone.
The Judiciary Committee, now controlled by Republicans, will hold another hearing on the nomination to give Lynch’s critics their day.
“Let me be clear, attempts to politicize this nomination, to turn this exceptional nominee into a political point scoring exercise are a disservice to the qualified candidate we have before us today,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
