It’s not the best sign for that newly-united, newly-dominant congressional GOP majority–all rarin’ to work with the President to implement their own agenda, to be sure–that they cannot get their signals straight on the most predictable post-election challenge they’d face, the appointment of a new Attorney General.
When word got out that Obama’s choice is New York U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch, Lindsay Graham allowed as how a confirmation vote during the lame-duck schedule shouldn’t be a problem, per a report from CNN’s Evan Perez:
[Graham] told CNN’s Dana Bash that “she seems to be a solid choice” and is “qualified.” Graham also said he doesn’t have any problems with her being confirmed in the lame duck session noting that other cabinet picks have been approved during such periods.
But Ted Cruz isn’t having any of that:
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, a member of the Judiciary Committee immediately Tweeted that a vote on Lynch shouldn’t take place during the lame duck session and should be put off until the new Congress convenes in January.
“Democratic senators who just lost their seats shouldn’t confirm new Attorney General. Should be vetted by new Congress,” he wrote.
You’d think these birds would talk to each other before one of them takes to Twitter to make pronouncements. But then Cruz’s whole shtick is to be the “base’s” hall monitor and commissar, so maybe Republican Senate control will just encourage him to play that role more abrasively than ever.
