Palmer: Obama AG nominee Loretta Lynch is 'unfit for service'

U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL6) being interviewed by The Daily Caller Sunday Jan 11, 2015.

WASHINGTON — Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL6), along with seven other members of the U.S. House of Representatives, penned an op-ed this week urging GOP members of the Senate not to confirm Loretta Lynch, President Obama’s nominee to replace U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.

“As members of the U.S. House of Representatives we recognize that the power to consent on executive branch nominees resides in the Senate,” the op-ed says. “The Senate also has the power, indeed, the obligation to reject those nominees unfit for service. We believe that Loretta Lynch, who has been nominated by the President to serve as the nation’s next Attorney General, falls in the unfit category.”

Lynch was nominated in November of 2015, just days after Republicans gained control of the Senate, but her confirmation has been held up for months now as Republicans have been faced with whether or not to allow her to replace Holder.

Alabama Senators Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby are both outspokenly against Lynch’s nomination.

In a hearing before the Judicial Committee, of which Sen. Sessions is a member, Lynch admitted that she believes the President’s executive actions on immigration are legal, a belief Sessions says would make her confirmation a “constitutional tipping point.”

Sen. Shelby recently told Yellowhammer Radio host Cliff Sims that Lynch wants to “defend the President,” rather than do her job, which Shelby said is to “defend the Constitution.”

In the representatives’ op-ed, they echo the senators’ sentiments saying, “As Attorney General, Ms. Lynch would be required to swear an oath to the Constitution, not to the President and certainly not to uphold and defend a political agenda that undermines the Constitution and diminishes the Congress. Although the President’s nominee cannot reasonably be expected to publicly oppose the President’s policies, the Attorney General has an independent duty to uphold and defend the Constitution. That has not been the case during the tenure of Attorney General Eric Holder. Under Holder the Justice Department went before the Supreme Court 20 times defending the overreaching policies of the Obama Administration and arguing for government authority that exceeded the powers granted by the Constitution and each time the Obama Administration was rejected by a unanimous vote of 9 – 0.”

“We believe the confirmation of Ms. Lynch would be a vote in support of President Obama’s assault against the Constitution and the lawlessness of his administration,” the op-ed concludes. “A vote for this nominee should fairly be considered a vote against the will of the American people. In that regard, we respectfully urge our colleagues in the Senate to reject the nomination of Ms. Lynch.”

Palmer was joined in penning the op-ed by Rep. Brian Babin (TX-36), Rep. Jeff Duncan (SC-3), Rep. Trent Franks (AZ-8), Rep. Vicky Hartzler (MO-04), Rep. Jody Hice (GA-10), Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11), and Rep. John Ratcliffe (TX-4)

The Senate is expected to vote on the confirmation of Loretta Lynch when they return from the Easter recess in two weeks. As of right now there is expected to be enough GOP support for her to be confirmed.