McConnell warns of delay on AG vote
Democrats want confirmation now; GOP puts human-trafficking bill first
WASHINGTON — Majority Leader Mitch McConnell warned Sunday that he won’t hold a confirmation vote for Loretta Lynch as attorney general before the Senate completes work on a bill designed to curb human trafficking.
The Kentucky Republican’s comments prompted immediate protests from Democratic lawmakers who view her confirmation as a top priority.
McConnell had said he would be moving to the Lynch nomination this coming week. But then last week’s debate on a human-trafficking bill broke down over a dispute about a provision regarding funding for abortions. Democrats made a late objection to a provision that prohibits money dedicated to a fund for victims from being used to pay for abortions except in cases of rape, incest or if the life of the woman were in jeopardy.
Similar restrictions on the use of federal funds have been in place for three decades. But abortion-rights supporters said the legislation takes the restrictions a step further by applying them to the personal money convicted sex traffickers pay into a government fund.
The Senate is expected to vote to end debate Tuesday, which would require at least 60 votes. Republicans hold 54 seats.
McConnell said Sunday during an interview on CNN’s State of the Union that Democrats had voted for the very same language three months ago. He said the Senate is soon scheduled to turn to the budget and then to be on recess for two weeks, so there is only a limited window of time for the Lynch vote.
“If they want to have time to turn to the attorney general bill next week, we need to finish up this human-trafficking bill,” McConnell said.
McConnell said he has not decided whether to support Lynch, who has been criticized by many conservatives for her assertion that President Barack Obama’s executive action on immigration was legal.
“I think the attorney general nominee is suffering from the president’s actions,” he said.
Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York said Republicans are using any excuse they can to stall the nomination. At a time when terrorist groups are threatening the U.S., the nominee deserves a vote, he said.
“It’s time for Republicans to stop dragging their feet on Loretta Lynch,” Schumer said.
Lynch would be the first black woman to serve as the nation’s top law enforcement officer. She would succeed Eric Holder, who is staying on until a replacement is confirmed.
It has been four months since Obama chose Lynch, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, to succeed Holder, whose outspoken, liberal approach to leading the Justice Department made him unpopular with many congressional Republicans.
Democrats have been quick to mention that Lynch has had one of the longest waits of any attorney general nominee in modern times. The last to undergo such a lengthy confirmation process was Edwin Meese III, who was nominated by President Ronald Reagan in 1984 and waited more than a year during a Justice Department investigation into his business and personal dealings.
Adam Jentleson, spokesman for Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., the minority leader, said there was no need for further delay.
“There is nothing stopping the Senate from confirming Lynch and continuing to debate the trafficking bill this week, except Sen. McConnell’s unwillingness to bring her nomination up for a vote,” he said in a statement. Information for this article was contributed by Kevin Freking of The Associated Press and by Emmarie Huetteman of The New York Times.