The vote to confirm Loretta Lynch might happen in the Senate this week or next.
This – however – has yet to deter Sen. Rand Paul from hitting hard on Lynch’s past and explaining why he believes she would be a poor choice for Attorney General.
Citing her views on the police practice of civil asset forfeiture, the senator from Kentucky has highlighted that her positions demonstrate a lack of compassion for the poor, and particularly African-Americans.
In an interview with Breitbart, Rand Paul laid out his criticisms of the AG nominee:
“I oppose her primarily because I don’t think she’s shown any compassion, or understanding of the law, but particularly [a lack of] compassion for people who are victims of civil forfeiture. People who are victims of civil forfeiture are often poor, African American or Hispanic, and people who can’t afford an attorney to try to get the money that’s taken from them by the government,” Paul said.
This has not been the first time that Sen. Paul has been critical of Loretta Lynch. Just last month Paul had appeared on the Greta Van Susteran show on Fox News to explain his opposition to her nomination as Attorney General.
Paul’s staunch support for criminal justice reforms have been a consistent part of the senator’s opposition to Lynch, while other Republicans have been focused on her views on immigration and amnesty in the wake of the President’s controversial executive orders.
Senator Paul has made criminal justice reform a heavy focus of his during his tenure in the Senate regarding mandatory minimum sentencing, legalizing medical marijuana, as well as fighting civil asset forfeiture. Just last year Rand Paul introduced the FAIR Act, which would end the practice of civil asset forfeiture by requiring law enforcement to produce “clear and convincing evidence” before assets may be seized.
“The federal government has made it far too easy for government agencies to take and profit from the property of those who have not been convicted of a crime. The FAIR Act will ensure that government agencies no longer profit from taking the property of U.S. citizens without due process, while maintaining the ability of courts to order the surrender of proceeds of crime,” Sen. Paul said.
According to Townhall, there is a chance that Loretta Lynch’s nomination will be blocked in the Senate by a bipartisan opposition which has formed on different issues. While many Republicans oppose her nomination due to position on President Obama’s executive orders on immigration, some Democrats feel that she has not been tough enough on Wall Street.
For a host of reasons, opposition to her appointment continues to grow.
