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Senate confirms Obama’s pick for attorney general

In this Jan. 28, 2015, file photo, Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington.
In this Jan. 28, 2015, file photo, Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. In this Jan. 28, 2015, file photo, Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington.

By Associated Press 1 min read

WASHINGTON — Loretta Lynch has won confirmation to serve as the nation’s attorney general, ending months of delay.

The vote was 56-43 in the Senate Thursday.

Lynch will replace Eric Holder and become the first black woman in the nation’s top law enforcement post. She currently serves as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

Her confirmation was delayed for months for a variety of reasons, most recently a lengthy dispute over abortion on an unrelated bill to address sex trafficking.

Lynch boasts strong credentials and a reputation as a no-nonsense prosecutor, but many Republicans opposed her because of her support for President Barack Obama’s executive actions on immigration.