Sen. Dan Coats said Friday he will vote against making Loretta Lynch the next U.S. attorney general, joining a growing bloc of Senate Republicans who have put the nomination in jeopardy as the confirmation vote stalled.
Echoing the concerns of his Republican colleagues, Mr. Coats cited Ms. Lynch’s support for President Obama’s deportation amnesty as the reason he can’t vote for her.
“Ms. Lynch’s expressed view that President Obama’s executive amnesty is lawful demonstrates that she is not the right person to serve as our country’s chief law enforcement officer,” Mr. Coats, Indiana Republican, said in a statement. “The executive branch cannot write laws or selectively enforce them based on political prerogatives. We need an independent attorney general who will enforce the law as written.”
The nomination for Ms. Lynch to replace Attorney General Eric Holder was supposed to get a confirmation vote this week, but the vote was delayed while Senate Democrats filibuster an anti-human trafficking bill because it includes restrictions on taxpayer-funded abortions.
During the delay, several Republicans have come out in opposition to Ms. Lynch, including Sen. Lamar Alexander and Sen. Bob Corker, both Tennessee Republicans who had been wavering on the nomination.
Senate Democrats need at least four Republicans to confirm Ms. Lynch.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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