WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Sente Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement ahead of today’s vote to confirm Loretta Lynch as Attorney General.
“Loretta Lynch will be an excellent Attorney General, and her role as our nation’s first African-American, female Attorney General carries historic importance. Her confirmation will also end an unfortunate, nearly six-month saga during which Republican leaders have treated her as a political pawn rather than an exceptionally qualified candidate to serve as our nation’s top law enforcement official. At a time when our nation’s justice system faces immense challenges, it is critical that the Department of Justice has its top leadership in place.
“Throughout her extensive public service and private sector careers, Loretta Lynch has uniformly impressed colleagues with her integrity and intelligence, whether working to fight corruption, terrorism, and violent crime as U.S. Attorney in New York, or in representing private clients at some of the country’s top law firms. She understands the importance of tackling violence in our cities; the need to faithfully safeguard our Constitution while protecting us from terrorism and other foreign threats; the need to address the unjust impact and unsustainable costs of our criminal justice system; and that 50 years after Selma, many Americans still face roadblocks to the ballot box. As the co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, I am especially hopeful that she will be an Attorney General who can help bridge some of the divides that have become too wide between our law enforcement officials and the communities they serve.
“Attorney General Holder deserves our genuine thanks for his service and dedication over the course of this Administration. He provides a strong example of what an Attorney General can accomplish, and I am confident that Loretta Lynch will ably continue the valuable work this Administration has started.”
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