Posted on 02/16/2015 9:06:29 AM PST by jazusamo
President Obama’s pick to serve as the next attorney general is having a hard time finding Republican supporters.
To be confirmed by the Senate, Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch only needs four Republicans to support her nomination. But it is unclear where those votes will come from.
Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah) is the only Republican so far who has signaled his intention to vote for Lynch, though several others have spoken favorably about her.
But many Republicans are expressing concerns about Lynch's stance on immigration and what they suggest is a lack of “independence" from the White House. Lynch’s confirmation was pushed back by two weeks Thursday amid “anonymous" objections from some Republicans. But Democrats say they are dragging their feet.
"What we’re trying to do is get an indication from her of the independence that she’s going to have from the White House,” Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) told The Hill.
"I think [Attorney General Eric] Holder is running the Justice Department like a wing of the White House,” he added. "That’s not right, and I want her to show us that she can be independent.”
Holder has had a testy relationship with Republicans at the best of times. The nomination of Lynch was initially seen as a move that had the potential to ease those tensions.
Lynch received a friendly reception from Republicans during her 8-hour confirmation hearing last month. And one GOP-friendly argument in her favor is that her confirmation would bring down the curtain on Holder’s tenure.
"Admittedly, a lot on my side have felt that they would like to get a new attorney general there, because they’re not very happy with the current one,” said Hatch, “and this is one way that can happen. “
Other Republicans such as Grassley and Sen. Jeff Flake (Ariz.) have indicated they are impressed with Lynch’s qualifications as a federal prosecutor, a role in which she enjoyed a reputation for being tough but fair on crime.
Lynch enjoys universal support from Senate Democrats who are urging Republicans to confirm her.
"This woman has as close to a perfect record as I have ever heard,” Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said.
“I can’t understand why people would vote against her,” said Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.). “Everyone was impressed with her. I heard that from numerous colleagues on the other side."
Still, many Republicans aren’t sold.
Grassley said he pushed the committee vote back to Feb. 26 to give her more time to answer questions. He said the delay is simply his way of being “thorough.”
Republicans are pressing Lynch to disavow President Obama’s executive action lifting the threat of deportation from up to 5 million illegal immigrants.
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) indicated there may be a “slide in support" for Lynch as Republicans “reevaluate” her nomination in light of her unwillingness to oppose the immigration move.
"I’m not going to vote for her, because I’m not going to vote for the chief law enforcement officer and rubber stamp this policy,” Sessions told The Hill.
"I know there are a considerable number of people that share my views,” he added.
Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and John Cornyn (Texas), the second-ranking Republican in the Senate, have also said they will oppose Lynch’s nomination.
Meanwhile, Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) has expressed strong reservations about Lynch because of her role as the federal prosecutor in a money laundering case.
HSBC paid a hefty fine to settle charges that it funneled more than $200 million for Mexican drug cartels and terrorists, but Vitter said he is disappointed no criminals charges were filed against the bank.
"I don’t think this committee has gotten enough facts,” Vitter said.
Democrats counter, however, that some in the GOP are trying to erect unrealistic hurdles for Lynch.
"Let’s face it: There are some people here that will not vote for her unless she says what they want her to say, that the president committed an illegal act by these executive orders” on immigration, Schumer said.
"Well, that’s for the courts to determine,” he added. "It is not fair to hold her up, because you’re never going to get her to say that answer, if that’s what you’re waiting for."
” First and Foremost, Hatch and Flake work for the Council of the Twelve. “
You nailed it.
Mormons are adding hispanics to their membership in droves. Most notably in southern California
If you are going to replace a guy with a 26% approval rating, for heaven sakes, replace him with a person who does not do the same things that earned him that 26%.
What in the world is Hatch seeing that would induce him to vote for her? Sounds like it is time for him to go if he can’t figure this one out. I’m old,but I can think clearer than that....
“Amen to that. Hatch must agree with her that illegal aliens have just as much right to a job here as American citizens.”
His church is right up there with the Catholics beating the drum for open borders. Hatch is a disgrace! The Mormon Church is a disgrace! Their “Articles of Faith” say that they should be law abiding. What a crock!
Now the Salt Lake metro area is running 20% and some rural towns similar.
Folks I know there told me it all started in the early 90's when contractors fleeing Los Angeles brought the "help" with them.
You know the score on that.
They immediately dumped them on the subsidized housing driving out the working poor whites - there are hardly any black people in Utah - and started undercutting local contractors on price...which wasn't high to start with.
Sound familiar? You lived it in LA.
The conversion thing started when the Missionaries showed up speaking Spanish; think Los Illegales believe that being in the church will give them a legal foothold, and allow them to bring the entire Familia up from Oaxaca.
So the worm turned and Northern Utah looks totally different now from just a few decades ago: taquerias, tiendas, rampant murder, rampant crime, the usual agitation to Speaka de Spanish!, Americans being muscled out of jobs once they have a critical mass of Mexicans on a crew...all the usual fun stuff they bring with them.
And of course the Mexican flags, everywhere....Dees Eees Ahr Lahnd, Greengo! Ju got to leave!
The nice Mormons in these small towns have no idea what kind of aggressive lawlessness they have brought in, and there ain't enough cops to make a dent in it once it gets going.
Looks like that flake Hatch is left with his fat senator’s arse hanging in the breeze. Cool.
She’ll be a terrible attorney general - an Obama appointee can’t be much else.
Is this a waste of political capital, however to fight over this vs. other issues? Holder is still there until a successor is confirmed. Will Obama nominate anyone better than him or will they all be just as bad? Fighting over this nomination could be used to distract attention from other things.
Spot on.
What the heck is that dumbass hatch good for? Lynch is just Holder in a dress and shouldn’t receive a single GOP vote.
She will tell the GOP what they want to hear - sort of - and they will approve her. Then she will simply take the baton from Holder and run with it, not giving a fig what the GOP thinks. That's how the Obama Gang rolls, after all.
” What’s amazing is the three decades ago I lived in rural Utah and you could count the number of Mexicans there on one hand...and you didn’t need all your fingers.
Now the Salt Lake metro area is running 20% and some rural towns similar.
Folks I know there told me it all started in the early 90’s when contractors fleeing Los Angeles brought the “help” with them.
You know the score on that.
They immediately dumped them on the subsidized housing driving out the working poor whites - there are hardly any black people in Utah - and started undercutting local contractors on price...which wasn’t high to start with.
Sound familiar? You lived it in LA. “
This is the modus operandi now starting to hit all over the country.
The only job Hatch gives a crap about his his own.
He enjoys being a senior member of the inner sanctum no matter what, up to and including beheading, happens to the rabble across the land.
The GOP never should have been remotely warm on Lynch.
“What we’re trying to do is get an indication from her of the independence that she’s going to have from the White House.”
Here’s the logic and the sequence...
1. Lynch wants total Amnesty.
2. The Chamber of Commerce wants total Amnesty.
3. Plaid jacket, golf pants establishment RINO’s want total amnesty.
4. Lynch confirmed.
That’s how it works and almost nothing else matters.
Very good summary...when I lived in South America I used to often see the Mormon kids wandering around pestering the locals.
Easier to convert them in the USA than in Peru or Chile.
All Kabuki Theater aimed at us Tea Party types.
GOPe already KNOWS where the votes to confirm are coming from.
orrin hatch wants loretta lynch to head the DOJ but doesn’t want Mike Lee in the Senate. POOH
Time for the democrats’ favorite mole, John McCain, to hustle over to MSNBC to sing Lynch’s praises. Let’s see how long it takes...
Yep, if I was betting money I’d bet it won’t take McLame long.
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