House Republicans urge AG nominee’s rejection

More than 50 House Republicans are calling on the Senate Judiciary Committee to reject Loretta Lynch’s nomination for attorney general.

In a Monday letter spearheaded by Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.) to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, 51 House GOP lawmakers warned that she would echo her controversial predecessor.

{mosads}The Senate Judiciary Committee is slated to vote on Lynch’s nomination on Thursday, and is expected to send Lynch’s nomination to floor.

“We appreciate Ms. Lynch for her many years of outstanding service to our nation. Nonetheless, having observed her nomination hearing testimony, we can only conclude that she has no intention of departing in any meaningful way from the policies of Attorney General Eric Holder, who has politicized the Department of Justice and done considerable harm to the administration of justice,” they wrote.

Lynch faced many questions from GOP members of the Senate Judiciary Committee at her confirmation hearing about how similar she would be to Holder.

“You’re not Eric Holder, are you?” asked Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas).

“No I’m not, sir,” Lynch replied to laughter.

Holder has had a contentious relationship with Congress since Republicans took over the House in 2011. The House voted to hold him in contempt of Congress in 2012 after the Justice Department refused to make documents available regarding the Fast and Furious gun-tracking program.

The House Republicans further raised concerns about Lynch’s compliance with President Obama’s executive actions, including to shield certain illegal immigrants from deportation.

“Our larger concern is with Ms. Lynch’s apparent willingness to stand up to the president and his unconstitutional efforts to circumvent Congress and enlarge the powers of his office,” they wrote.