Dems: Justice nominee a ‘hostage’

Senate Democrats criticized Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday for delaying a vote on Loretta Lynch’s nomination to be attorney general. 

Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said the Senate could take up Lynch’s nomination, which has been pending for approximately 130 days, and then move back to a stalled anti-trafficking bill. 

{mosads}Democrats are blocking that legislation, because it includes a provision that prohibits federal funds from being used on abortions. 

“We can do two things at once here,” Reid told reporters. “Even though we’re having trouble doing one thing at once.”

With unanimous support from Democrats, Lynch would need four GOP votes to be confirmed. Republican Sens. Jeff Flake (Ariz.), Susan Collins (Maine), Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Orrin Hatch (Utah) have suggested they will back her.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) called McConnell’s delay “fundamentally unfair.”

“She’s being held as a political hostage. … That is fundamentally unfair,” he said. “If they want Eric Holder to move onto another job, this is their chance.”

Holder has been unpopular with many congressional Republicans. 

McConnell said the Senate will eventually take up Lynch’s nomination, it’s just a matter of when. 

“I’ve said all along I thought the president’s nominee to be attorney general is entitled to be considered on the Senate floor,” he said. “She will be considered just as soon as we finish this very important bill.”

But Reid suggested that, if senators don’t vote on the nomination this week, they might not be able to take a vote until mid-April. 

“If we don’t finish the Loretta Lynch nomination this week, when will we finish it, when?” Reid said. “Next week, we’re supposedly working on this budget. … So we won’t get to vote next week. Then we’re in recess for two weeks.” 

“Using his time scale, we would be fortunate to get to do it in the middle of April,” the Nevada Democrat said. “That’s unacceptable.”