North Carolina’s three Democratic members of Congress are urging their state colleagues in the Senate to reconsider their opposition to the nomination of Loretta Lynch for United States Attorney General.
In a letter spearheaded by Rep. Alma Adams, Reps. Adams, G.K. Butterfield and David Price argued that N.C. Republican Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis should “set aside partisan politics” and support the nominee who is a native of North Carolina.
"We recognize that as members of the Senate it is your duty to ensure that our Attorney General meets the qualifications for this important position,” they wrote in a joint letter. “This is a sacred duty that must be taken seriously. That is why we ask that you judge Ms. Lynch's nomination solely on her qualifications and not allow partisan distractions to cloud your judgements."
Many Republicans oppose Lynch because of her support of the president's executive action on immigration. Burr has said he opposed Lynch’s nomination because she supported a Justice Department lawsuit against North Carolina’s new election law. Tillis has said he doesn’t think Lynch will be a good manager. He voted against her in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Lynch received the Judiciary Committee’s endorsement with the support of three Republicans: Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Orrin Hatch of Utah and Jeff Flake of Arizona. But the full Senate has yet to move forward with a vote on the floor.
Lynch was born in Greensboro, N.C., and went to high school in Durham, N.C. She later attended Harvard University where she got her undergraduate and law degrees. She is currently the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York.