A Just Nominee

As the head of the Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney General should uphold law and order. He or she should fight for the weak and keep the powerful in check. United States Attorney Loretta E. Lynch ’81, President Barack Obama’s nominee to replace Eric Holder as Attorney General, embodies these qualities. She is a strong and reasonable candidate for Attorney General, and her confirmation should occur with all due speed.

Lynch has a strong record as a U.S. Attorney operating in the Eastern District of New York. She has been praised for her stance on civil rights: One of her most famous cases as a U.S. Attorney involved the prosecution of NYPD officers for the assault and sodomy of civilian Abner Louima. Lynch has also worked in the corporate sector in white-collar criminal defense. Her diverse legal background should earn her bipartisan support as a nominee.

If confirmed, Lynch would be the first black female Attorney General—only the second woman and only the second African American. The importance of this step cannot be overstated. America continues to struggle with race, and especially with regards to the intersection between race and justice. Appointing a black woman to head the Department of Justice sends a strong message that, while this country is not perfect, the government is trying to take steps in the right direction.

Given the Senate’s current state, it is unlikely that Lynch’s confirmation hearings will happen until next year. The current Democrat majority has other measures it wants to pass while it still has control over the Senate, including a defense bill and judicial nominations. These measures deserve to be resolved; however, the Department of Justice needs a leader, sooner rather than later. The Senate should make every effort to confirm Lynch as swiftly as possible.

The Senate has every right under the Advice and Consent Clause of the Constitution to conduct a strenuous hearings process before confirmation. These hearings should focus on Lynch’s record and her qualifications for the job. Instead, some Republican senators have voiced plans to steer the conversation away from Lynch and her accomplishments, focusing instead on President Barack H. Obama’s immigration reform agenda.

If Republicans want to convince the nation that they are a strong party worthy of leadership, they should attract the growing base of young and Latino voters—two groups that currently swing blue. The Republicans should work with Democrats to achieve bipartisan, compassionate immigration reform. By instead polarizing the issue to obstruct the Lynch’s nomination, Republicans do no favors to themselves or the country.

Loretta Lynch is an exceptional candidate for Attorney General, one the Senate should quickly confirm. Pragmatism should prevail over politics, and Lynch should quickly begin her much-needed work.