Civil and Human Rights Coalition Responds to Reports of a Long Overdue Vote on Loretta Lynch Confirmation

WASHINGTON –– Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement after reports that there will finally be a vote on the Loretta Lynch nomination for Attorney General. The announcement comes 165 days after Lynch was nominated—longer than the last seven Attorney General nominees combined:

“After 165 days and countless meetings, marches, prayer vigils, press conferences, and hunger strikes, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is finally acquiescing to a vote on this indisputably qualified nominee.

This is a perversion of governance.  Instead of providing fair ‘advice and consent’ regarding the President’s superbly qualified nominee for Attorney General, at every step of the way, Senate Republicans are fighting their obligation to govern.

Loretta Lynch is a widely respected public servant with exemplary qualifications. She has been a champion in the fight against terrorism, hate crimes, public corruption, and community violence.  Her nomination has received broad support from African-American groups, law enforcement, women’s groups, Latino groups, editorial boards across the country, and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle.

We urge every senator to vote in favor of this nominee based on her integrity, character, and qualifications and not hold the Department of Justice hostage to petty politics.”

Wade Henderson is president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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