Loretta Lynch, US President Barack Obama’s pick for attorney general, on Wednesday sought to make a clean break from the testy relationship her predecessor had with the US Congress, while supporting the legality of the administration’s controversial actions on immigration.
Lynch, a career prosecutor known for her diplomatic skills, struck a delicate balance during her confirmation hearing, telling the US Senate Judiciary Committee: “I look forward to fostering a new and improved relationship.”
Her willingness to listen to Republican concerns was generally well received by the senators. US Senator Ted Cruz of Texas said he welcomed her commitment, describing it as a “sharp break” in style from US Attorney General Eric Holder, an unapologetic liberal voice who once declared himself “the president’s wingman.”
Lynch said she would offer independent and objective advice to the president.
Yet she defended the administration’s immigration order from November, which eased the threat of deportation for about 5 million undocumented immigrants. She repeatedly reminded Republican critics that the immigrants were only receiving a temporary deferral, and stressed that the plan refocused deportation efforts on those who pose a threat.
“I did find it to be reasonable that we would prioritize removal of the most dangerous illegal immigrants,” she said.
Lynch, nominated in November, has stirred little controversy in her 16 years with the US Attorney’s office in Brooklyn and is expected to win confirmation with some bipartisan support.
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, who chairs the committee, said he convened the hearing to determine if Lynch “has what it takes to fix the Obama [US] Department of Justice,” which Grassley said has become too politicized.
The Iowa senator kicked off by taking aim at Obama’s executive action on immigration, setting the tone for the topic that dominated the hearing, which stretched over seven hours.
“Not only is this action contrary to our laws, it’s a dangerous abuse of executive authority,” he said, while telling Lynch her obligation would be to defend the US constitution, not Obama’s policies.
Democrats quickly shot back, referring to conservatives, including talk show host Bill O’Reilly who have praised the nominee. New York Senator Chuck Schumer, who introduced Lynch, said: “The president’s immigration policies are not seeking confirmation today. Loretta Lynch is.”
Cruz did push Lynch in several rounds of questioning to disavow positions taken by the department in multiple recent US Supreme Court cases, as well as to address hypotheticals about the limits of government and executive power, growing frustrated as Lynch declined to do.
“There has been nothing I have been able to ask you that has yielded any answer suggesting any limitation whatsoever on the authority of the president,” Cruz said.
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