McConnell: No Lynch vote until human trafficking standoff resolved

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says there’ll be no vote to confirm Loretta Lynch as attorney general until Republicans and Democrats resolve a dispute over a human trafficking bill.

“If they want to have time to turn to the attorney general,” then “we have to finish the human trafficking bill,” McConnell said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.” His remarks, he said, were “not a threat.”


But the Kentucky Republican appears to be trying to use Lynch’s controversial nomination as a bargaining chip in the dispute over the human trafficking bill, which is being held up over a provision dealing with abortion.

The bill, which would create a fund for victims of domestic trafficking, appeared to be headed for easy passage until Democrats last week noticed the abortion provision, as POLITICO has previously reported.

Lynch’s confirmation vote is expected to be close, with some Republicans opposing her, in large part, because of President Barack Obama’s executive actions on immigration — as McConnell acknowledged.

“The attorney general nominee is suffering from the president’s actions — there’s no question about it,” McConnell said Sunday, explaining that he hasn’t yet decided how he’ll vote.

Following McConnell’s interview, Adam Jentleson, a spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) urged McConnell to “keep his word and bring Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch up for a vote this week.”

And Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said. “It’s time for Republicans to stop dragging their feet on Loretta Lynch.”

“At a time when terrorists from ISIS to Al-Shabaab threaten the United States, the nominee to be attorney general deserves an up-or-down vote,” Schumer said.