Hillary Clinton slammed congressional Republicans for “playing politics” by delaying a confirmation vote on President Obama’s pick for the next attorney general.
Senate Republicans have said they won’t advance the nomination of Loretta Lynch to replace outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder until the upper chamber votes on a human trafficking bill that includes an anti-abortion legislation tacked on by GOP lawmakers.
Clinton, who earlier Monday spoke at an Irish American event ahead of St. Patrick’s Day, said on Twitter that congressional Republicans were working “against women” by delaying the vote.
Congressional trifecta against women today: 1) Blocking great nominee, 1st African American woman AG, for longer than any AG in 30 years…
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 16, 2015…2) Playing politics with trafficking victims… 3) Threatening women's health & rights.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 16, 2015The tweets from Clinton, who rarely speaks out on issues of the day, show close coordination with the White House on the fight for Obama’s nominee, even after two weeks that strained relations as the administration had to answer questions on Clinton’s use of a private email server during her tenure as secretary of state.
White House press secretary Josh Ernest said Monday, “There is no question that Republicans are playing politics with the nomination of the nation’s top law enforcement official, and it should come to an end.”
Obama nominated Lynch, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, late last year, but her confirmation has yet to be brought to a vote before the full Senate.
Alex Seitz-Wald