Sen. Dan Coats (R-IN) says he cannot support the president’s attorney general nominee Loretta Lynch, due to her belief that Obama’s executive amnesty is legal.
Friday the Indiana lawmaker became the latest Republican to announce that he will oppose her confirmation.
“Ms. Lynch’s expressed view that President Obama’s executive amnesty is lawful demonstrates that she is not the right person to serve as our country’s chief law enforcement officer,” Coats said in a statement.
Coats was referring to Lynch’s stance that the actions Obama has taken — to unilaterally provide legal status and work permits to millions of illegal immigrants — is lawful.
“The executive branch cannot write laws or selectively enforce them based on political prerogatives,” Coats added. “We need an independent attorney general who will enforce the law as written.”
The Lynch confirmation has been held up in the Senate due to a dispute over abortion language in a human trafficking bill the chamber is currently considering.
Democrats are filibustering the bill over the abortion provision and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has said he will not bring up the confirmation until the Senate completes business on the trafficking bill.
The Senate adjourned this week without passing the trafficking bill. With the budget on the calendar next week, there is speculation that the Lynch confirmation — which is expected to be a close vote — could to be delayed further, even into next month.