Klobuchar, Franken raise pet issues at Lynch hearing
WASHINGTON - There weren't a lot of fireworks at the Senate confirmation hearing of Loretta Lynch to be the next U.S. Attorney General and certainly none from Minnesota's two Democratic Senators, Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken.
The pair, who both sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee, limited their questioning of Lynch to areas of concern each has long voiced.
Klobuchar emphasized her own professional roots as a prosecutor with Lynch, who's currently the U.S. Attorney in Brooklyn, asking Lynch about the relationship between federal and local prosecutors and federal-state cooperation to combat sex trafficking, drug abuse and Islamic extremism.
Lynch focused her responses on the close work she's engaged in with local prosecutors in New York and her interest in all of those issues.
Franken asked Lynch about mental health, privacy law and the Department of Justice's roles in reviewing Comcast's proposed merger with Time Warner.
As his 10 minutes of questioning expired, Franken indicated his support for Lynch's nomination saying, "OK, then I'll probably vote for you," and drawing laughs from the audience.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.