WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama introduced his choice for attorney general Saturday as an accomplished prosecutor from New York City who will carry on a “fierce commitment to equal justice.”
Obama argued at a White House ceremony that it’s “pretty hard to be more qualified” for the job of attorney general than Brooklyn federal prosecutor Loretta Lynch.
“Loretta might be the only lawyer in America who battles mobsters and drug lords and terrorists, and still has the reputation for being a charming people person,” Obama said to laughter from those who packed the Roosevelt Room for the announcement.
The 55-year-old Lynch would be the first African-American woman to serve as attorney general. She would replace outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder, who also was at Saturday’s announcement and was the first black head of the Justice Department.
Lynch said she was humbled and thrilled at the prospect of leading “the only Cabinet department named for an ideal.”
“If I have the honor of being confirmed by the Senate, I will wake up every morning with the protection of the American people my first thought,” she said. “And I will work every day to safeguard our citizens, our liberties, our rights, and this great nation which has given so much to me and my family.”
Republicans have promised tough scrutiny of Obama’s pick after years of battles with Holder, who is close to Lynch and appointed her as chair of a committee that advises him on policy. Holder has been an unflinching champion of civil rights in enforcing the nation’s laws and his successor will be left to grapple with several prominent civil rights issues that have been elevated on his watch.
White House officials said they are leaving it up to Senate leaders to work out the timeline for her confirmation, with Obama calling for approval “without delay.” But with Democrats facing a long list of priorities before year’s end brings a shift to Republican control, it’s likely she won’t get a vote until next year.
She was chosen in large part because the White House sees her as likely to win approval among the political divisions in the wake of Republican victories in Tuesday’s midterm election. Lynch is the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, which covers Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Long Island, a position she also held under President Bill Clinton.
“Loretta doesn’t look to make headlines, she looks to make a difference,” Obama said, offering an explanation why she’s largely unknown in Washington outside legal circles. “She’s not about splash, she is about substance.”
___
Follow Nedra Pickler on Twitter at https://twitter.com/nedrapickler
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Right. Like the way she “battled” HSBC? You know, the bank that laundered millions of drug and terror money?
The wrist-slap heard around the world.
Like Eric, she knows who not to mess with.
In the ultimate show of bipartisanship yet, Mitch McConnell suggested “maybe this is a post that can best be filled by the next President”
Wrist Slap? From your link.
“In addition to forfeiting $1.256 billion as part of its deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the Department of Justice, HSBC has also agreed to pay $665 million in civil penalties – $500 million to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and $165 million to the Federal Reserve – for its AML program violations. The OCC penalty also satisfies a $500 million civil penalty of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The bank’s $375 million settlement agreement with OFAC is satisfied by the forfeiture to the Department of Justice. The United Kingdom’s Financial Services Authority (FSA) is pursuing a separate action.”
HSBC was accused of failing to catch $881 million in drug proceeds that was laundered through the U.S. They were fined more than twice that.
Since a bank can only hope for a percentage profit (and not a huge percentage) on client funds that pass through it, I think Loretta kicked HSBC’s ass up and down the block.
Putting a few little fish in jail instead of hitting the bank where it lives–money–would have been a silly exercise in futility. It would be extraordinarily hard to prove criminal intent in what was basically a failure to apply scrutiny.
Yes, a Wrist Slap.
5 weeks of profit paid the fine. For laundering money for drug dealers and terrorists, and deliberately concealing it.
5 Outrageous Revelations from Matt Taibbi’s Takedown on HSBC’s Drug Money Laundering
They gave immunity to the execs as part of the deal. And yes, it was brought in her district, although for all I know, the case was run from Main Justice.
Read the other day that a UBS exec got aquitted for funneling money from 17,000 rich Americans into Secret bank accounts. Its disappointing that he was acquitted, but what of the 17,000 customers? It should be pretty doable to make tax evasion cases out of these cases. You don’t have to get after all of them; a couple of hundred would do.
An environment where you had a few dozen plutocrats sent to prison for tax evasion would be much more receptive to democrats than one in which we appear to be in cahoots (we are, aren’t we?).