it is loretta e. lynch of new york come up to be attorney general, a name that was submitted to the united states senate by barack obama to make history. a name, a nominee to make history. because, you see, this is the first african-american woman in the history of the united states to be nominated to serve as attorney general. it is a civil rights milestone that her name has been submitted. i sat through the judiciary hearing and it was a packed room. all the tv cameras were there. loretto lynch can't -- loretto lynch -- loretta lynch came, sat at the table with her family around her with close friends gathered from all over the united states, and this woman calmly, in a dignified way, gave the most compelling testimony i have heard of any witness before the senate judiciary committee including those who came before us seeking to be appointed to the united states supreme court. she was excellent. no one laid a glove on her. no one raised any concern about her nomination. when the public witnesses were invi

some news on this front, specifically this morning on loretta lynch's nomination. senator dan coats, republican of indiana, today announced that he will oppose the nomination. one of the few undecideds at this point now decided. ms. lynch demonstrates that she is not the person to serve as our chief justice officer. that news shook out this morning. allison -- alice from texas. caller: hi, thanks for taking my call. they say life is unfair, but i just want you all to know this about loretta lynch. she got one of the highest scores on her sat in elementary school. the teachers didn't believe that she took it because she was black. they made her take the test again. she took it again, and got a higher score than the first time. secondly, she was valedictorian in her high school in durham north carolina -- not new york. she had to share the honor with two other girls or to other people, the first and second runners-up because they did not think the society at the time would accept a black person being the smartest one in their school. to me, that is not fair. anyway, s

president obama nominated loretta lynch and then he nominated ash carter. the two of them both sailed through their confirmation hearings. there have been no substantive objections to either of them but you want to know the difference between them? the difference between them now is he has already been confirmed as defense secretary, and is working as our nation's defense secretary. she's still waiting for a vote. he's been confirmed long enough already that he's already started delaying the end of one of our wars. the war in afghanistan. ash carter is on the job and unending wars anywhere. loretta lynch, she's not even had a vote in the senate. sme she is still waiting. and now senate republicans say they're not going to vote on her nomination until democrats give in on a totally unrelated piece of legislation that has nothing to do with her and that both parties are fighting about right now in congress. republicans are holding her nomination hostage on that unrelated matter. you know, when you read about this on its merits inexplicable treatment of lorett

and today, the president used his weekly radio address to demand that senate republicans confirm loretta lynch, saying quote, stop playing politics with law enforcement and national security. lynch would replace outgoing attorney general eric holder. meanwhile, senate majority leader mitch mcconnell says lynch will receive a vote after democrats and their filibuster of a human trafficking bill. let's bring in susan fariccio, chief congressional correspondent for the washington examiner. good to see you. so what's the real holdup? >> well, i think loretta lynch has sort of become collateral damage in this fight between republicans in congress and the president over immigration. if you will recall, the president issued an executive order, a couple of them so far, that would provide work permits and some federal benefits to millions of people who are now living here illegally. republicans have tried and failed to use the power of the purse to stop the president from doing this, so now they are using another tactic and it's loretta lynch. during her confirmation process, she said she supported the

the year 2000 and 2010 the senate confirmed loretta lynch to be u.s. attorney for the even descrirkt -- for the eastern district of new york. in each case her confirmation before the is that the was unanimous. so loretta lynch's nomination, we know, is historic for many reasons, but the principal reason is she would be the first african-american woman to serve as our nation's attorney general. however, apart from the historic nature of her nomination -- and i hope confirmation -- loretta lynch is supremely qualified for this position, for all the reasons stated earlier. they could be summarized in a couple of words: integrity intellect, and experience. and i could add more words to that. but they're the qualities that we want in any prosecutor, and of course they're the qualities that we want in an attorney general. i believe we had those qualities with attorney general holder, and we want to have confirmation completed for the new attorney general nominee loretta lynch. i strongly support loretta lynch's nomination, and i'm pleased that the majority l

she is loretta lynch, the head of the office. she was nominated to be attorney general by president obama four months ago. she would replace eric holder as our next attorney general. she was nominated for attorney general back before president obama nominated ash carter to be the next defense secretary. he nominated loretta lynch and then ash carter. they sailed through and there was no options to either of them. but you want to know the difference between them? he has already been confirmed as defense secretary scene working and she is still waiting for a vote. he has been confirmed long enough that he has started delaying the end of one of our wars. the war in afghanistan, he is unending wars around. loretta lynch, he has not even had a vote in the senate. she is still waiting. and now senate republicans say they're not going to vote on her nomination until dcs give in on a totally unrelated piece of legislation that has nothing to do with her and that both parties are fighting about in congress. they are holding her nomination

shocking. >> it's time to vote on loretta lynch. >> if ms. lynch were not confirmed -- >> republicans are really out of excuses. >> -- it would be an astonishing display of partisanship. >> a new jersey man and former u.s. air force mechanic has been indicted with trying to join isis. >> allegedly attempted to travel to syria but was later deported. >> prime minister benjamin netanyahu is in the fight for his political life. >> the polls are closed. >> even with the votes from today's israeli election -- >> exit polls are neck and neck. >> netanyahu declared himself the winner. >> romney is state to box evander holyfield to raise money for charity. >> it will be a short fight or i will be knocked unconscious. >> even politicians are seeing green. >> happy st. patrick's day. >> it allows me to trot out my irish heritage. >> happy st. patrick's day to you all. >>> republicans have now held up any vote on attorney general loretta lynch for 129 days a longer wait than the last five nominees combined. today, this relentless politicking proved to be

loretta lynch is a graduate of harvard law school, is as qualified as any candidate i've seen in my 33 years here in the congress. ms. lynch serves as u.s. attorney for the eastern district of new york. she's been confirmed unanimously to that office by the senate twice most recently in 2010. during her time in the u.s. attorney's office loretta lynch has proven herself to be a tough crime fighter she has prosecuted drug dealers and greedy wall street bankers. she is guardian of the constitution. she takes the protections in the bill of rights seriously. almost two decades ago she came to the justice of a haitian immigrant physically assaulted by police officers acting outside the law. lynch is part of the constitutional criminal trillion trillion -- tribunal for rwanda, for the genocide carried out in rwanda. whatever the case, whatever the crime loretta lynch has fought the guilty. she has been exemplary. she is an ideal candidate to be america's top law enforcement officer. that is why she was nominated 121 days ago by president obama. i look forward to the senate finishing its work

i have visited with loretta lynch in person. i observed her throughout the nominations process my brother-in-law worked as an assistant u.s. attorney with her in the eastern district of new york in the late 1990's, and i am impressed like many of my colleagues by her credentials her extensive experience and was gratified to see that the judiciary committee reported her nomination to the floor. i'm disappointed it has taken 124 days to get to this point i was pleased to hear the majority leader indicate the senate may take up her nomination next week, but i think it is important for the nation to recognize how critical this appointment is and how we should not have let it go this long. i want to reflect back to probably the hardest elected office i held or held which was mayor of richmond. when i was a city councilman and mayor from 1994 to 2000, my city had the burden of having the second highest homicide rate in the united states. and we worked in our community together with everyone, especially law enforcement and community le

attorney loretta lynch, the latest excuse senator mcconnell says the senate is too busy fighting overe on miss lynch's confirmation. today she was in washington and senator joe manchin apologized for the delay. >> it's just not fair. but it's our world, as you say, and we've got to make it a better world so we're hoping to get through this and i'm very sorry for that. >> it isn't fair. it's been 20 days since the judiciary committee voted to approve loretta lynch and there's still no full vote. that's longer than the wait time for the last five attorney generals combined. illinois center dick durbin's criticism went even further. >> nominated to be attorney general is asked to sit in the back of the bus when it comes to the senate calendar. that is unfair. it's unjust. >> it is beneath the dignity of the senate. 130 days since she was first nominated, 20 days since she was passed out of committee. it's time for the senate to vote. joining me now are joe madison and bill press. thank you both for being here. >> hi reverend al good to see it. >> so miss lynch is good enough to prosecute

we'll talk about that next. >>> let's turn to loretta lynch.een waiting 129 days for a vote to be confirmed as attorney general. in fact she was passed out of committee 19 days ago, but still hasn't had a vote on the senate floor. that's a longer period of time than the previous five nominees combined. there's no excuse for this delay. lynch graduated from harvard college and harvard law school. the senate approved hi as a u.s. attorney twice. so what's the problem now? well senator mcconnell's new excuse is he's delaying a vote until republicans push think anti-choice restrictions they tacked to a bill to help stop human trafficking. angela, what do you make of this excuse? >> it's a very sorry excuse. anytime you attack a poison pill like an anti-abortion provides on a human trafficking bill which is always supposed to be a bipartisan measure easily passed you're going to have problems. this is deja vu for us. they just went through this with dhs. they're going to look silly. it's house tactics taken to what's supposed to be the upper chamber

here's loretta lynch. here's loretta lynch. she's been pending on the floor now for 18 days. this is -- the months she had to wait before that. now, attorney general holder, mukasey, gonzalez, ashcroft, and reno, had to wait a total of 18 days pending after their nomination came out so five of them one of her. she's had to wait as long as five of them had to wait for her to go. we also pointed out the amount of time -- i look at the amount of time it took for the -- well for the four men who proceeded her. all four of those men wept through so much faster than she has. they were he voted out of committee, janet reno took one day. john ash report who i helped get through the committee though i did not support him took two days. alberto gonzalez took eight days. michael mukasey took two days. eric holder five days. so this delay is an embarrassment for the united states senate. her qualifications are beyond reproach. but the senate republican leadership continues to delay a vote on her confirmation despite her impeccable credentials. now when she is confirmed we know that loret

today we learned the senate will not vote on loretta lynch this week. according to politico, it could go even further. senior republicans are privately warning it could be held up until at least mid april. it comes as a war of words eruptsds results on the senate floor. it started with an explosionive accommodation from illinois democrat dick durbin. >> lo redia lynch, the first african- african-american woman, is asked to sit at the back of the bus when it comes to the senate calendar. that is unfair. it is unjust. it's beneath the decorum and dignity of the united states senate. >>> today senator mccain is calling right back calling the words offensive. >> what is beneath the decorum and dignity of the united states senate, i would say to the senator from illinois is for him to come to this floor and use that imagery and suggest that racist tactics are being employed to delay ms. lynch's confirmation vote. it was offensive and unnecessary, and i think he owes this body ms. lynch, and all americans an apology. >> president obama nominated lynch 131 day

loretta lynch waited to be confirmed.mational courage of those who dared to cross the edmund pet tis bridge. >> call your senators and them them they must confirm the first african-american attorney general. >> when the president nominated lynch just days after the 2014 midterms, most could barely fathom a controversy. she has an unassailed representation. she had one valuable characteristic given the current icy relationship with congress. >> let me just stipulate you're not eric holder. >> no i'm not, sir. >> but despite assurances that she is not eric holder loretta lynch is still waiting, 133 days after being normalminated. what is the holdup? mitch mcconnell announced sunday that he would not schedule the vote until the senate passed the justice for victims of trafficking act. on the face of it, that doesn't sound like it's going to be difficult except republicans stacked the bill with anti-abortion language that democrat os pose. it calls for anyone convicted of human trafficking to pay into a restitution fund, but

so without loretta lynch, they're leaving it run by somebody they dislike.losing on this. >> where you see the problems of terrorism, the problems of police community relations, the problems of criminal justice and the need for investigations all over the country, don't they make a mockery of what is needed in the justice department using the chief, the head of the justice department nomination being held hostage at this time? what do you say to the american people angela? >> they're not saying much rev. they're saying the same thing that susan just pointed out that they were saying a couple weeks ago, of dhs funding, that it doesn't matter. what matters is a political football that they continue to play with people's lives, with national security. and rev, you talked about criminal justice or police and community relations, but also there's a whole voting rights issue that continues to happen. >> absolutely. that the justice department is engaged in. >> absolutely. >> let's move on though. should fraternities be abolished is my second point tonight? the fra

he threw yesterday a racially charged into the debate about loretta lynch's nomination. >> loretta lynch, the first african-american woman to be nominated to be attorney general, is asked to sit in the back of the bus when it comes to the senate calendar. that is unfair. it's unjust. it is beneath the decorum and dignity of the united states senate. >>> today the grenade went off. senator john mccain took to the senate floor today to demand a public apology from senator durbin. here's what he said as durbin stood just feet away. >> what is beneath the decorum and dignity of the united states senate, i would say to the senator from illinois is for him to come to this floor and use that imagery, and suggest that racist tactics are being employed to delay ms. lynch's confirmation vote. >> such inflammatory rhetoric serves no purpose. i think he owes this body ms. lynch, and all americans, an apology. >>> durbin didn't apologize, he doubled down. >> i'm glad that i heard my colleague's comments firsthand, and i'd like to respond to them directly. as of today, loretta lynch, who is the presid

let's just get this over with and we'll move on to loretta lynch. be told, there is no technical reason they couldn't do both things at the same time. >> ifill: wait, that's a concept, doing two things at once. >> walking, chewing gum... they could actually, today, the senate voted on a couple of no ma'amtations and voted them out. it's not like they can't technically do it. it basically is now mitch mcconnell saying i do not want to move on to loretta lynch unless -- >> ifill: it's his leverage? t's his leverage but also some thought out there the vote could be close on loretta lynch. republicans especially are concerned about her stance on the president's immigration action and other smaller things, and so there is some concern it could be really close and that would not look good for senate reps and mitch mcconnell. actually, mitch mcconnell himself has not yet said how he plans to vote on the legislation. >> it goes back as both sides playing to the base. democrats are saying to their base whether on women or abortion we're standing up for you.

are republicans holding up loretta lynch's confirmation because they're racist, or are democrats justrolling? >> jessica: is this paul? >> jon: jessica, the clock is ticking! >> jessica: i'm just messing with you, jon! the democrats are trolling definitely. >> jon: that's what i thought! it's wickedy-whack, yo! right? (dial tone) >> jon: -- he, hello? (cheers and applause) >> jon: i thought so. crazy democrats. republicans holding up lynch's nomination isn't them being racist, it's them being them. >> in the history of the country, 168 phil busters of presidential nominees about half during the obama administration. >> jon: they don't need a reason to hold up an obama appointee! it's part of their daily routine. you wake up to a post-er of reagan and jesus on a horse blocking some appointee -- really? reagan in the front? i thought the son of god would be steering. i don't see the guy single-handedly ending the cold war in the back though. maybe a two-headed jesus-reagan hybrid. yes! how god intended. if anything republicans are treating whrinch with the same low level of respect rese

if you want to vote and oppose loretta lynch, go to the floor and tell the american public why you arer it's because of immigration or something else. go to the floor and have a debate. push a button. vote. let the american people decide whether they think you did the right thing or the wrong thing. >> most republicans believe the president is in violation of the constitution with that executive order. they say they don't want -- they have backing now of federal judge in texas. it's now gone before a federal appeals court. it's being adjudicated even as we speak. they say this is a matter of principle. they believe the president is breaking the law by imposing these kinds of actions and if she supports that there's no way they can vote to confirm her. >> she would win confirmation if they went ahead and held the vote today. there are three republicans who voted for her out of the senate judiciary committee. there's another republican who said that she is a supporter. there will be enough support to get her nomination through under the new rules where they just need a basic majority. im

loretta lynch was first nominated by president obama back in november. she's now waited for a vote longer than any attorney general nominee in 30 years. as of today her confirmation has waited longer on the floor than the last five attorneys general combined. that's unacceptable. and i frankly haven't heard a single good reason from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for why ms. lynch's nomination deserves such a delay delay. instead, her nomination is being used by many to continue their fight with the president over his immigration policy. this after nearly shutting down the department of homeland security because of those same disagreements. while we do need to have a focused and functional debate in this congress about immigration it's simply irresponsible to hold up a highly qualified nominee for attorney general because some don't like that she agrees with the very president who nominated her. madam president, i take seriously the senate's role to advise and consent on presidential nominations so let's take a minute to just look at lorett

>> the resistance isn't about loretta lynch.out opposition to anything president obama does, and immigration. they want to try to hold up homeland security funding, found out that didn't work. and much that has been done has been done through the justice department. and then on the human trafficking issue, there's this item that was in this piece of legislation, been in there for months, democrats didn't notice it until a few days ago, that says that funs raised in this can't be spent on abortion. there are a lot of provisioning in federal law preventing funds have being spent on abortion. this is an extension of that debate. it's not a new issue. what was surprising was that democrats were willing to sign on to a bill that had this provision in it. apparently the reason democrats were until this week willing to sign on to it is they hadn't noticed that provision was in the bill. >> and kiki, it is true there is a policy disagreement there on abortion. they're trying to link it to loretta lynch. >> it's not even linking. republi

i sat in the hearing, the senate judiciary committee hearing for this nominee loretta lynch. any nature of any kind questioning her ability to serve as attorney general, none. when my colleague from arizona notes the fact that i have voted against african-american women nominees in the past it is true, and i am not arguing that every member of the senate should vote for loretta lynch simply because she would be the first african-american woman to serve in that capacity. all i'm saying she deserves the same fair treatment we have given to other nominees for this job. >> okay. congresswoman, thank you so much for standing by here. is it fair to bring race into this equation or is this a debate about policy and this particular bill here the human trafficking bill that contains this provision to block government funds for most abortion? >> tamron, as i said this is very emotional, and it is from my perspective a factor in this a woman, an african-american woman. we don't step back from that. i think the distinction of what senator durbin is saying and saying it very well is that

the best way to get rid of him is to get loretta lynch confirmed. >>> erin mcpike, thank you. the reason reason president obama won't take netanyahu's word that he still supports the palestinian state is the white house wants to divert attention from the developing nuclear deal and negotiations in switzerland. u.s. officials are sending a delegation to paris for talks with french leader. we bring in oren liebermann. you listen to the huffington post interview and these are strange questions. >> reporter: absolutely, christine. this is the back and forth we have seen especially in last few minutes. these two have been going back and forth a bit and these comments from the administration now that obama's focus on israel and the two-state solution a way of diverting attention away from the nuclear deal is another round of pack and forth. if that is the case we know the next step. when house speaker boehner is here at the end of the month. the other way to look at the comments is through the lens of a nuclear deal. that is where israel and the administration seems to believe at th

loretta lynch was nominated 132 days ago. next week the senate plans to tackle the republican budget plan. a week after that republicans tell us they plan to go on vacation for two weeks. the whole senate going on vacation for two weeks. they are saying they do not expect any movement on the loretta lynch confirmation vote until maybe the end of next month at the earliest and she already waited longer than any attorney general nominee in history. now he is creeping up on the next record because republicans who hate him won't let him go. stranger than fiction. in small business you have to work hard, know your numbers, and stay focused. i was determined to create new york city's first self-serve frozen yogurt franchise. and now you have 42 locations. the more i put into my business the more i get out of it. like 5x your rewards when you make select business purchases with your ink plus card from chase. and with ink, i choose how to redeem my points for things like cash or travel. how's the fro-yo? just peachy...literally. ink

. >> loretta lynch the first african-american woman nominated to be attorney general is asked to sit in the back of the bus when it comes to senate calendar that sun fair. -- that is unfair. it is unjust. it is beneath the decorum and dignity of u.s. senate. lou: well his critics agree with him saying his remarks are beneath the decorum and dignity of the senate, if there is any left. we talk with republican senator david sreutder, we begin with netanyahu's victory, president obama has yet to congratulate him, delegates the task to secretary kerry. three others allies have already offered congratulations including prime minister of britain, and canada and india. joining us is congressman. polls were wrong talking with former ambassador of u.s., he said that polls were always wrong in israel. but, this is really a decisive victory, what does this mean for israel its national security, and policies they will follow going forward? >> prime minister clearly is very strong on national security. that is what drove him to calm address the joint session of congress on march 3 the israels as

while she has great personal and professional respect for loretta lynch, her views about president obama'sxecutive actions are concerning. in order to be confirmed, lynch needs yes votes from all 44 senate democrats, both independents and at least 4 republicans. that would then lead vice president joe biden as the tie breaker. so far four republican senators support her. orrin hatch, lindsey graham jeff flake and susan collins of maine. but the math may quickly grow more complicated because this week new jersey democratic senator bob menendez whom the justice department is getting ready to charge with corruption says he's on the fence. if he's charged before lynch's confirmation vote he may choose to recuse himself, and that would leave lynch scrambling for another yes vote. dick durbin told reporters this week that he's worried lynch may not wind up being attorney general after all. on the other hand lindsey graham says he believes more republicans will step up to support lynch once push comes to shove. joining me now is the president and executive director of the lawyers committee for ci

they feel that they're going to hold that up until they can get movement on loretta lynch. you might be asking, why would they be holding up an attorney general nominee to replace eric holder who has not been the most popular man in the world when it comes to republicans at all? they've been trying to get him out for years. and the answer is, again, another layer of politics. when she was first nominated back in november, you had a lot of republicans saying they thought she was a very good candidate. since then, the president announced an immigration plan which republicans call amnesty. as you can imagine, his attorney general nominee supports that so republicans are getting pressure from their base to oppose her for that reason. all of those pieces of politics and layers of it are wrapped into this delay, which is pretty unprecedented when you look at the timing of loretta lynch and the fact that she's been hanging out there for a long time. >> so no new attorney general, no human trafficking bill, no way forward as far as we know. dana bash, thanks so much. >> thanks for

it almost sounds like he could be speaking about loretta lynch. >> i hope somebody goes on the floornd reads those words exactly. if you kay the mukasey case what the democrat were upset about, and they didn't hold him up nearly as long but they didn't like hi answers on torture. he couldn't call waterboarding a form of torture, so with mukasey, you are dealing with a substantive difference off the gnome near himself. still a democratic senate confirmed him, and he wouldn't have been confirmed if some democrats hadn't voted for him. in this case you have republicans saying they have no substantive problem with loretta lynch, she doesn't have views of her own that they object to. you know some of them hold against her president obama's decision on immigration. his attorney general is not going to contradict him on that or they are, you know as the reverend said or they are hold ago debate over completely irrelevant bill against her. so it just doesn't make any sense. i think they are hurting themselves. there's no reason to hold her hostage. there are plenty other ways to fight the fi

i've had the opportunity to meet with loretta lynch this past january. she and i discussed how the department of justice can do more to give law enforcement the tools it needs also to eliminate witness intimidation, a major issue in cities like philadelphia and others around the country. also we talked about reforming the juvenile justice system and finally reducing tensions between police and law enforcement in the communities they serve. i was very impressed by united states attorney lynch and i believe that she is well-suited to address these and many other issues that she will confront as

loretta lynch was nominated 132 days ago.next week the senate plans to tackle the republican budget plan. a week after that, republicans tell us they plan to go on vacation for two weeks. the whole senate going on vacation for two weeks. after next week. they are saying they do not expect any movement on the loretta lynch confirmation vote until maybe the end of next month at the earliest and she already waited longer than any attorney general nominee in history. and so eric holder is now creeping up on janet reno's record because republicans who hate him more than life itself won't let him go. stranger than fiction. talking to people who made the switch to ford. the brand more people buy. and buy again. all-wheel drive is amazing... i felt so secure. i really enjoy the pep in its step... that's the ecoboost... the new image of ford now looks really refined. i drove the fusion... and i never went back. escape was just right. just announced, make the switch to ford and get $750 competitive owner cash on top of other offers at

it says "loretta lynch is eminently qualified to be the attorney general. she deserves a vote. confirm lynch. "why is this taking so long senator coons? >> there is no good explanation for the remarkable delay. it's longer than any comparable attorney general nomination. there was, i think, no disagreement significant disagreement from republican members of the committee during her eight-hour confirmation hearing. she was composed. she was professional. she was diligent. the issue that they raised over and over had to do with the president's executive order on immigration. not her competency. not her qualifications. i think she'll be a terrific attorney general. and i think if we keep up the pressure we will inevitably see her confirmed. >> senatorcoons, thank you for your time tonight. >> thank you, great to be with you. >>> flow let's bring in congressman greg meeks, democrat of new york who was in selma this weekend as well. and salon.com's joan walsh. thank you, both for being here. >> good being with you, rev. >> congressman, a lot of your republican colleagues who went to

. >>> democrats are intent on make the battle over loretta lynch about race. yesterday it was the senate's second most powerful democrat senator dick durbin who accused the republicans of putting the president's nominee to succeed attorney general eric holder in quote the back of the bus. today astonishingly members of the congressional black caucus followed his lead. >> and said in my opinion, the way the president of the united states has been treated the way eric holder has been treated, and the way loretta lynch has been treated. it is my opinion if the late dr. martin luther king, who is up for confirmation in the united states senate, that he too would have a very, very difficult time. >> it is clear to me that there is hidden racism rampant in the house and the senate. lou: republicans say the only thing holding up lynch's nomination is the democratic filibuster of the human trafficking bill. we're coming right back. >>> what does it mean when a president can't hide his contempt for a world leader? >>> and is it childish of a president to simply refuse

. >>> now to loretta lynch. they won't vote on her confirmation until a human trafficking legislation is finished. another day another capitol hill fight. and why the latest delay? >> tony, it has very little to do with the confirmation of an attorney general. loretta lynch has been waiting for four months to get a vote, and it looked like it would happen this week. but now the congress won't move forward until they take take care other pressing business. human trafficking and it had broad support until it got caught up in politics. it looked like democrats and republicans could put aside politics and agree pass a bill for victims of human trafficking. >> we have a wonderful bill here that would save lives. >> we all agree the presence of human trafficking is unsusceptible. >> the bill against human trafficking victims is locked in a partisan fight over a provision that would ban using any the funds to pay for abortion. the democrats said that that they didn't know that that restriction was in the bill. >> the a

for republicans, ultimately loretta lynch will be confirmed but opposing this is a political no brainer for republicans who want to make good with the conservative base in case of future primary battles. and this issue over the abortion provision for the human trafficking bill this has been in the legislation for months. this is a 64-page bill and not that crazy long as pieces of legislation go and i gather the abortion provision was on pages four and five of the law. so it is something that should have been noticed before right now. this is also a long-standing dispute in congress over whether the federal government should pay for abortions but policies come down to the side that the federal government will not pay for abortions. this long-standing lie called the hyde amendment and polls show that americans have a mixed position on abortion and they don't want it fully legal and a majority feel that the federal government should not pay for abortions. >> and if i can clarify, and the reason this is controversial, the hyde amendment would apply. the reason this is controversial is becau

is the gop throws loretta lynch in the back of the bus? >> what this issue is essential by, jon that are, is loretta lynch is a remarkably qualified nominee, and it raises real questions for her to be languishing on the floor longer than all five nominees, for a total of 131 days so far, we've been waiting for a confirmation vote on loretta lynch. i'm not sure there would be this debate, this back and forth if there weren't other issues where we're not able to make progress. as you know, i was just in selma a few weeks ago for the 50th anniversary of the voting rights, of the incident, both bloody sunday and the successful march from selma to montgomery that led to the introduction of 9 voting rights act. i continue to work with my colleague, senator leahy and senator durbin, to try to find a republican co-sponsor who would join us in restoring the core of the voting rights act that was taken out by the supreme court two years ago. i'm not sure it would by this poignant, this pointed if it weren't for the combination of her remarkable qual

speaker, i can think of no better person to lead our justice person than loretta lynch. ms. nch is exactly right in her zrired focus of prioritizing and improving relationships between law enforcement and communities. her vision is exactly what the justice department and the cops program department need. i fully understand the anger and deep concern in communities across the country. however, it is simply unsustain able where police fear communities and communities fear the police. to ensure all state and local law enforcement agencies treat all americans fairly and value all americans' lives lawfully and we must provide them with necessary training to protect and police diverse communities. we recognize the 50th anniversary of the march on selma, alabama and the countless others of the jim crow south were on the end of police brutality. we have come a long way over the last 50 years. however much work remains and i can think of no greater person to lead that charge than loretta lynch. i look forward to her service as our nation's attorney general and robust cops programs she

it's not about loretta lynch. >> lynch's nomination has been held up in the senate longer than any attorney general nominee in decades. does this confirm frustrations with lawmakers that they can't get anything done? >> absolutely. the gop came in and said we're better at governance but this looks an awful lot like partisan politicking and the thing we thought they got rid of. >> i want to go to lindsey graham when it comes to budget and spending. this is a war within the republican party. is this a sign that republican leaders are kind of losing control of their party? >> senator graham calls this a war but this seems like another battle in the gop's large ere war. we have a tea party and this establishment republicans. they both married to have this majority but it's contention. the majority leader has his work cut out for him as he tries to keep the cut side together with the side that says we need to prioritize spending in the defense department and bolstering our armed services. >> if we see another government shut down this is not going to look good for the gop or anyone in congress i

i sat in the hearing, the senate judiciary committee hearing for this nominee, loretta lynch. there were no questions raised of any nature, of any kind questioning her ability to serve as attorney general. none. when my colleague from arizona notes the fact that i voted against african-american nominees in the past, it is true and i am not arguing every member of the senate should vote for loretta lynch simply because she would be the first african-american woman to serve in that capacity. all i am saying, she deserves the same fair treatment we have given to other nominees of this job. she has now been pending before the senate longer than any nominee or attorney general in the last 30 years. she has been on the calendar now, on the calendar waiting for a vote for a longer period of time than the last five nominees for attorney general combine. why? it has nothing to do with her qualifications for the job which are the very best. why in the world are we taking this important post attorney general of the united states of america. why are we taking this important civil rights m

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and so loretta lynch the 1st african-american woman nominated to be attorney general is asked to sit in the back of the bus when it comes to the senate calendar that is unfair. it is unjust. it is beneath that the decarlo dignity in the united states senate. this woman deserves fairness she seeks to leave the department of justice in the united states senate should be just in its treatment of her nomination. to think that we would jeopardize her opportunity to serve this nation and to make history is fundamentally unfair. >> i come to the floor today to address a very serious accusation leveled yesterday against republican members of this body by the democratic with the senator illinois. i do with some regret -- the senator illinois and i have been friends for many years served in a house together and here in this body of work together. that is why i was so surprised and disappointed in the comments he made yesterday on the floor senate comments that are totally inappropriate to be made on the floor of the senate. my colleague illinois said and i quote from the majority leader announ

watch what loretta lynch said about it. >> ms.ch, do you believe the executive action announced by president obama on november 20th is legal and constitutional? yes or no. >> as i've read the opinion, i do believe it is, senator. >> this was a legal issue at this point. >> liberals believe only their motives can be pure, sean. so liberal criticism of condi reese or clarence thomas is principled. but conservative criticism of loretta lynch is racist. it's a double standard. but it also highlights their obsession with race. dick durbin and company are obsessed with the color of this woman's skin. she is a symbol, she is a token for them that they want to use to bludgeon their political opponent. >> let's go through some of the history. it gets very vicious over the years. watch this. >> in texas, my father was killed beaten, chained and then dragged three miles to his death all because he was black. so when governor george w. bush refused to support hate crimes legislation, it was like my father was killed all over again. >> they ar

attorney loretta lynch. experienced, respected and popular are the methodimmediate characterizations of lynch. her 2010 senate confirmation is defined as overwhelming. so that piece should have completed the puzzle giving us a clear image of the next attorney general. but instead of a nice neat resolution we've got a scrambled mess in washington, d.c. it has been 134 days since president obama named loretta lynch. and in that time the republican-controlled senate has introduced new baffling puzzle pieces that don't seem to fit at all. there is the justice for victims of human trafficking act piece into which republicans shoved anti-abortion language which angered democrats and has the whole senate stalled. a worthy debate perhaps but why is it part of the a.g. confirmation? and before there was the abortion and human trafficking piece, there was the immigration and executive action piece. during her confirmation hearings lynch affirmed that president obama's executive action which offered temporary legal sta

republicans holding loretta ly flrks nch's attorney confirmation up so they can push abortion. lynch has waited longer for a floor vote than tele flomany nominee in modern history. now mitch mcconnell says keep waiting. >> hoped to turn to her next week but if we can't finish the trafficking bill she'll be put off again. if they want to have time to turn to the attorney general next week we need to finish up this human trafficking bill. first thing we need to do is finish this important human trafficking bill then turn to the nomination of the attorney general. it's not a threat. we need to finish this human trafficking bill. >> it's not a threat? this is the definition of a threat. the human trafficking bill that mcconnell is talking about would prohibit money to a restitution fund from being spent on abortions. it's part of the gop's antiabortion antiabortion agenda, and mcconnell is vowing to block lynch's confirmation unless democrats get on board with it. the result loretta lynch who's already waited a record 128 days for a vote is left to twist in the wind. and senator mcconnel

loretta lynch this is she's still not confirmed.ated before ash carter was nominated to be defense secretary. confirmed. ash carter has been confirmed. she has not. listen to what president obama had to say to "huffington post" on friday about loretta lynch. >> the irony is the republicans dislike mr. holder. if they want to get rid of him get loretta lynch confirmed. >> whether she thinks the executive branch can in effect write laws on its own is a threshold question. her answer in the affirmative should be disqualifying no matter how historic her confirmation would be. this is the stance john mccain is using the same reasoning on this. don't you expect president obama if she goes down to either keep eric holder who also agrees? what's the end game here? >> the holder thing is unavoidable. the end game is to maintain the principle with the institution self respect that the senate will not put an attorney general in that the president can write laws on its own. if that means no one else is confirmed and eric hold certificate there

durbin's comments yesterday on the senate floor. >> this is day 131 since the president named loretta lynch to be the next attorney general. yesterday dick durbin the second highest ranging democrat made a reference about the delay and used the rosa parks imagery, saying that lynch's nomination was effectively at the back of the bus when it comes to the senate calendar. republicans broadly bristled at that and we are angry. today john mccain said that was injecting race where there should not be that issue. he and senator durbin exchanged some words today on the senate floor. >> it was offensive and unnecessary and i think he owes this body ms. lynch and all americans an apology. >> she has been on the calendar year now, waiting for a vote for longer period of time than the last five nominees for attorney general combined. why? >> it has been a long time for loretta lynch, senate republicans say they will vote on her confirmation as soon as they finish a human trafficking bill, which is a whole other story. they've been fighting for days on that and loretta lynch is left waiting while the s