Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky announced Wednesday night that he will vote against confirming Loretta Lynch for attorney general because of differences over civil liberties issues, declaring that her views ride roughshod on our constitutional rights. <\/p>\n
Lynch, the U.S. attorney in Brooklyn, would be the first African-American woman to serve as attorney general. <\/p>\n
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Paul, a likely 2016 presidential candidate who has made criminal justice reform one of his signature issues, said in a statement: Mrs. Lynch has a track-record of violating the individual freedoms granted to us by our Constitution. She considers civil asset forfeiture to be a useful tool, while I consider it to be an infringement on the Fifth Amendment. She remains non-committal on the legality of drone strikes against American citizens, while I believe such strikes unequivocally violate rights granted to us by the Sixth Amendment. <\/p>\n
Mrs. Lynch also supports President [Barack] Obamas calls for executive amnesty, which I vehemently oppose. The Attorney General must operate independent of politics, independent of the president and under the direction of the Constitution. I cannot support a nominee, like Mrs. Lynch, who rides roughshod on our Constitutional rights. <\/p>\n
Paul first announced his opposition on Fox News On the Record with Greta Van Susteren. <\/p>\n
The Kentucky senator appears to be the first Senate Republican who does not sit on the powerful Judiciary Committee, which is taking up Lynchs nomination to be the nations most powerful law enforcement official, to oppose her confirmation. <\/p>\n
Several GOP senators on the committee have indicated they will oppose Lynch based on her support for the presidents executive actions on immigration. They include Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, another potential contender for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. <\/p>\n
Sen. John Cornyn of Texas the majority whip, and a member of the Judiciary Committee announced his opposition earlier Wednesday. <\/p>\n
While she has an impressive record as United States attorney, as you know, she will become the chief advocate for the presidents policies as attorney general, the Republican said. Her testimony expressing support for the presidents unconstitutional executive action, and for her support for a number of the presidents other policies, make it impossible for me to vote for her nomination. <\/p>\n
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