Loretta Lynch, President Obama’s nominee for attorney general, cleared a procedural vote Thursday, setting up a vote on final confirmation later in the day.
Her nomination had been held up for weeks due to a previously stalled human trafficking bill, to which Republican leadership had tied the Lynch confirmation vote.
Democrats blocked the initial human trafficking bill due to disagreements over a human trafficking provision in the bill. Both sides reached a deal on the abortion language earlier this week and passed the trafficking bill Wednesday, teeing up the Lynch confirmation.
Lynch’s nomination is expected to be tight, with just six Republicans to date signaling support for her.
Much of the GOP caucus has voiced concerns about Lynch’s ability to remain an independent voice in the Obama administration, notably pointing to her support for the legal argument behind executive amnesty.
“Whether it’s President Obama’s executive amnesty, Hillary Clinton’s email cover-up, or corruption on Wall Street, Loretta Lynch has made it clear that she will be just another rubber stamp of President Obama’s policies and completely turn a blind eye to public corruption,” Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), a Lynch opponent, said before the procedural vote.
Democrats are expected to unanimously support her confirmation, meaning Lynch will likely squeak by.
Lynch supporters have railed against the delay in her confirmation vote. Obama weighted in on the delay last week, calling it “embarrassing.”
“Enough. Enough. Call Loretta Lynch for a vote,” Obama said.
Lynch is the current U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York. She will be replacing outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder. Her confirmation will make her the first African American woman to hold the position.
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