The Rev. Al Sharpton and some women civil-rights activists are on a hunger strike until attorney general nominee Loretta Lynch is confirmed — a long-delayed vote that appears destined to drag on for weeks longer.
Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn warned Wednesday that lawmakers are more concerned now with reviewing a nuclear deal with Iran,
Politico reports.
"Iran is a special case, so I'm not suggesting we hold up Iran for this," the majority whip said, chiding: "But I am suggesting we come back to it after Iran, particularly if [Democrats] want to release Eric Holder so they can let him make a lot of money in the private sector."
Sharpton's National Action Network said its "Confirm Loretta Lynch Fast" is inspired by "leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi and Cesar Chavez."
"As long as the Senate refuses to take 15 minutes to confirm someone for attorney general that they have already confirmed twice for U.S. attorney," activists "will do everything in our power to draw attention to this completely unfair and unnecessary delay to vote to confirm Loretta Lynch," Sharpton vowed, Politico reports.
Groups of fasters will alternate days when they abstain from food, the
Daily Caller reports.
If confirmed, Lynch will be the first black woman to serve as the nation's top law enforcement official.
The Senate Judiciary Committee cleared Lynch in February, but her nomination has been bogged down by a bitter partisan battle over a
human-trafficking bill's abortion provisions.
Politico reports that the fight heated up Wednesday in dueling speeches by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Harry Reid, with the Kentucky Republican accusing Democrats of choosing to aid doctors of Medicare patients while snubbing sex trafficking victims, and the Nevada Democrat countering that the complaints were "illogical."
A
Medicare payments package the Senate passed overwhelmingly Tuesday night
contains language barring funding for community health centers from being used on abortions. Though the abortion provision in the trafficking bill is similar, Democrats say it goes too far, Politico reports.
Meanwhile, senators representing key swing GOP votes haven't made up their minds about Lynch's confirmation, Politico notes, including Sens. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Rob Portman of Ohio and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
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