Police, race emerge as signature focus for AG nominee (Barf)

As the nation’s top cop, Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch appears likely to make cooling the simmering tensions between police and the black community a signature issue.

Lynch, now in the midst of her conformation process, is widely expected to become the first African American woman to lead the Justice Department. Her ascension to the high-profile Cabinet post would come amid public uproar over the recent police killings of unarmed black men in New York and Missouri.

Lawmakers and advocates are already looking to Lynch to take a leading role in repairing the damage wrought by the deaths and their fallout, while also moving forward with a host of policy changes initiated by current Attorney General Eric Holder.

"She will be sensitive not only to enforcing the laws of the land, but also to issues that are unique to the African American community, such as police misconduct and the need to reform the criminal justice system,” Rep. G. K. Butterfield, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, told The Hill.

The black community’s trust in law enforcement has been shaken since last summer’s killings of Eric Garner and Michael Brown.

Garner, a 43-year-old from Staten Island, died in July after Daniel Pantaleo, a white New York Police Department officer, applied a chokehold during an arrest. The confrontation and Garner’s death were caught on a video that went viral on the Internet.

Brown, an 18-year-old from a St. Louis suburb, was shot and killed by Darren Wilson, a white Ferguson, Mo., police officer, after a confrontation in August.

Protests and riots broke out around the country after both police officers were exonerated by grand juries.

"Few things have pained me more than the recent reports of tension and division between law enforcement and the communities we serve,” Lynch said last week during her hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

"If confirmed as attorney general, one of my key priorities would be to work to strengthen the vital relationships between our courageous law enforcement personnel and all the communities we serve,” she added.

As a black woman with strong law-and-order credentials, Lynch, observers say, would be uniquely positioned to ease strained relations between police and minority communities they serve.

Lynch’s reputation for being a hard-nosed, impartial prosecutor has won her wide support from civil rights advocates, law enforcement, Democrats and even some Republicans.

This will serve her well as she seeks to “resolve the tensions” between law enforcement and the African American community, said Sen. Patrick Leahy, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee.

"She has prosecuted those who have committed crimes against police officers, as well as police officers who have committed crimes,” Leahy (D-Vt.) said during her confirmation hearing.

Lynch has earned the trust of civil rights groups by pursing cases of police brutality.
During her time as a federal prosecutor in New York, Lynch went after a police officer accused of sodomizing a Haitian immigrant with a stick in a precinct bathroom.

More recently, she was assigned to investigate the Eric Garner case.

As the “face of law enforcement,” Lynch will have the opportunity to improve public perceptions of police, said Hilary Shelton, Washington bureau director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

She is also respected of law enforcement for being tough on criminals, including corrupt police officers, said Jim Pasco, executive director of the Fraternal Order of Police.

"The law enforcement community doesn’t stand up to defend cops who have done the wrong thing,” he said.

Pasco said he met with Lynch and is “very impressed” that she does not have any pre-existing judgements about or biases against police.

“I like the idea that she doesn’t concede that the police are necessarily wrong in every situation,” Pasco said.

Lynch promised to "draw all voices” into the conversation about reforming law enforcement and cracking down on cases of police misconduct.

“She has to be a person who brings both sides together, police and the community,” Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, told The Hill.

It’s unclear when the entire Senate would vote on her confirmation, but Judiciary Chairman Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) suggested the committee would vote after lawmakers return from their break on Feb. 26.

Some Republicans have come out against Lynch’s nomination. Sens. John Cornyn (Texas) and Rand Paul (Ky.) both said this week they will oppose her nomination and they could soon be joined by other Republicans on the committee, but there’s little they can do to block it.

With broad support from Democrats, Lynch only needs two Republicans to push her through the committee and she has reportedly won over Sens. Orin Hatch (Utah) and Jeff Flake (Ariz.).

If confirmed, civil rights advocates and congressional Democrats hope Lynch will push a series of police reforms to prevent future misconduct by law enforcement.

The Justice Department can threaten to withhold funding from local police departments that do not cooperate, they say.

Better police training could help officers avoid tragic confrontations like those that ended in the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, they say.

All too often, police officers will use excessive force, Shelton said.

The Justice Department could resolve this problem by issuing use of force standards that not only provide law enforcement with better guidance but also make it easier to prosecute officers who cross the line, he added.

“We think the use of force should be a last resort, because police officers should be equipped to deescalate the situation,” said Kanya Bennett, legislative counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union.

The Justice Department could also ensure more accountability by requiring police to wear body cameras, Bennett said.

Local police departments should also be required to report the number of arrests, fatal shootings, and the type of force used in these cases in exchange for federal funding, she added.

“That transparency will encourage a greater sense of trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve,” Bennett said.

Why not print this questionaire up encircle your answers and send it to your US Senator

Dear Senator
INS...Amnesty.. Forget about Ebola
We don’t allow cattle to enter without a background health and ancestry check which we also reqiure of legal immigrants who wait years and still go thru health and record checks. We also require that any legal immingrant demonstrate prior to entry that they offer a contribution to our society and not dependency upon it .

Yet we’re letting children and gang bangers in without doing any of this which has resulted in dispersing virulent new diseases (measles) and drug use which has resulted in unreported cases in schools where these illegal kids were placed.. Plus shoved a severe financial strain on local governments where they are placed .
Should any candidate for Attorney General supporting that practice be denied confirmation ?(Yes) (No) .Should those given this bypassed favored treatment who miss their INS hearing be deported fortwith ? (Y) (N).. ? Denied re-entry (Y)(N) ?

In “countries where an American citizen decides to be a “legal” emigree never mind being a seasonal visitor still are denied voting privledges. Own land in their own name. Face steep fines before getting kicked out let alone denied income and energy subsistance including food stamps, or bring in family members .
I (do) (don’t) believe we should allow such full citizenship privledges mentioned above which are denied by the country of national origin of the above, to a legal American immigrant , deny such full citizen privledges to any (emigree) (seasonal vistor) (illegal) if their country does not allow those same privledges to any citizen of the United States, .
While such a position will be condemed as defacto deportation particularly by the political establishment .Would you continue to support a Senator who refuses to support such restrictions ? (Y) (N) Does that also include erecting border barriers such as fencing designed to discourage surrepticious or uncontolled entry ? (Yes) (No)

Should any American citizen which goes overseas to join a foreign entity fighting against the United States (such as ISIS) Be denied re-entry (Y)(N) and their citizenship revoked? (Y) (N) Should that person be charged with treason (Y)(N)

Very Truly Yours For Restoring the value of American citizenship and Conservative Government

Include your return address label below along with your signature and date

We’ve got a Supreme Court Justice marshalled and confirmed by Republicans 20+ years ago.

We’ve got same guy appointed and supported Chairperson of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission more than 30 years ago.

First woman and double the points for being the first Hispanic Woman as Secretary of Labor, who was also Staff Director of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights 30 years ago.

How many more Americans will need to be in high office until you race baiting, stuck on a plantation, Jack Wagons move on to the quality of their qualifications and integrity of their person?

For your constant carping about something we never consider until you bring it up is reason alone to not support her.

But, the important question no one is really asking is why we are using the adjective “Her” when describing Loretta.

It seems to me the President should focus on the primary he job he already has and not run around on Capital Hill dressed up as a woman.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.