New top law enforcer for the U.S.
News on 24 Apr 2015
News on 24 Apr 2015
Loretta Lynch, the US Attorney General candidate that Senator Lindsey Graham attempted unsuccessfully to persuade to comment in favour of his RAWA bill during confirmation hearings (see previous reports), has been confirmed for the post by the US Senate.
The 56-43 vote ended a five-month political deadlock that made her wait longer for confirmation than the last seven attorneys general combined, US newspapers report.
Sen. Graham was not the only politician with an anti-Internet gambling agenda to quiz Lynch. Nevada Republican Senator Dean Heller (who voted against her confirmation) also had a go at the apparently neutral candidate earlier this year, trying to elicit her support for what he appeared to think was a flawed decision by the US Department of Justice that the Wire Act applies only to sports betting.
Her lack of direct support for his point of view, and reluctance to immediately commit to reversing the DoJ interpretation, disappointed the Senator.
Lynch has said in the past that if, during the course of a review, she concludes that the DoJ’s 2011 interpretation of the Wire Act was unreasonable she would reconsider the issue.
But she has pointed out that it is rarely necessary for such important opinions by the Office for Legal Counsel to be reversed, and consequently it was unlikely that she would suspend or revoke the OLC view.
The American Gaming Association – a trade body representing the interests of land gambling operators – was quick to capitalise on Lynch’s appointment, issuing a letter of congratulation, but asking her to help in its current drive against illegal operators in the US market.
AGA chief executive Geoff Freeman wrote:
“While we recognize you have no shortage of priorities demanding your time and stretching your resources, we believe illegal gambling should be a priority.”
Lynch succeeds Eric Holder who has resigned and is expected to depart next week.
She will have a full diary with cases ranging from terrorism-linked prosecutions and civil rights clashes between communities and the police to major financial crime accusations against major banks and cyber-crime.
Lynch is respected as a career enforcement and prosecuting officer who obtained her law degree at Harvard Law School and has prosecuted many major cases. She has served two terms as Brooklyn’s US Attorney, and served on a committee advising the US Attorney General on policy matters.
