WASHINGTON — U.S. President Barack Obama has chosen federal prosecutor Loretta Lynch to be the next attorney general, sending a Washington outsider as a high-profile confirmation test amid a power shift in the Senate.
Obama announced Lynch's nomination Saturday at a White House event that was quickly arranged after news organizations reported her selection Friday. He had planned to wait until later this month to introduce his trail-blazing choice — Lynch would be the first black woman in the job.
"Today, I can announce...my nominee for our next Attorney General—U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch." —President Obama: http://t.co/HxcDVMiQQm— White House Live (@WHLive) November 8, 2014
"I can think of no better public servant to be our next Attorney General." —President Obama on nominating Loretta Lynch for AG— The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 8, 2014
"Loretta [Lynch] doesn’t look to make headlines—she looks to make a difference. She’s not about splash—she is about substance." —Obama— The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 8, 2014
Obama said Lynch, 55, has a fierce commitment to equal justice and a solid record as a tough, fair federal prosecutor. He added that it's "pretty hard to be more qualified" for the job of attorney general than Lynch.
As the U.S. attorney for Eastern New York, Lynch covers Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Long Island. Among her accomplishments: She helped prosecute police officers who severely beat and sexually assaulted Haitian immigrant Abner Louima, and also prosecuted former New York State Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada, Jr. on embezzlement charges. Obama described Lynch's qualifications in his announcement on Saturday.
"She successfully prosecuted the terrorists who plotted to bomb the Federal Reserve Bank & the New York City subway" —Obama on Loretta Lynch— White House Live (@WHLive) November 8, 2014
"She’s helped secure billions in settlements from some of the world’s biggest banks accused of fraud" —President Obama on Loretta Lynch— White House Live (@WHLive) November 8, 2014
The outgoing attorney general, Eric Holder, was the first black head of the Justice Department. Obama thanked Holder for his service, saying he helped make the U.S. "safer and freer," and that "more Americans ... receive fair and equal treatment under the law."
Additional reporting by Mashable