PA Bill Number: HB917
Title: Adopting the Uniform Family Law Arbitration Act.
Description: Adopting the Uniform Family Law Arbitration Act. ...
Last Action: Presented to the Governor
Last Action Date: Apr 29, 2024
Potential Holder replacement requires intensive scrutiny, resolve to score vote :: 11/08/2014
Calling her "an under-the-radar contender to become the first black woman to head the Justice Department," a Thursday Associated Press profile on United State Attorney Loretta Lynch leaves more questions than answers. She's "low-profile," we are told. She doesn't generally talk to the media. She doesn't give many speeches.
With that being the case, how are all of us, but gun owners in particular, supposed to determine whether or not she would be an acceptable nominee, and if we should reward or punish our Senators for rejecting or confirming her if she is put forth? What is it we can infer, what is it we know, and what is it we need to determine before we can make an informed assessment?
The fact that she's an Eastern District of New York prosecutor needs to be a big red flag, but not an automatic disqualifier. After all, Alex Kozynski is Chief Justice of the "liberal" Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals headquartered in San Francisco, and he's the guy whose dissenting opinion in Silveira v Lockyer included the astoundingly refreshing observation that “the simple truth—born of experience—is that tyranny thrives best where government need not fear the wrath of an armed people.” (Incidentally, don't tell Paul Begala that.)
Second Amendment-friendly lawyers would do well to see what gun cases Lynch has prosecuted, and obtain transcripts to see what arguments she's made.
We can also infer from learning "she was appointed to the Attorney General's Advisory Committee, a position that required her to spend more time in Washington and drew her closer to Holder." Being close to Holder ought to be another huge red flag.
The committee itself should raise yet another caution indicator. Holder's original panel was chaired by current ATF head B. Todd Jones. It also included disgraced U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke of Operation Fast and Furious notoriety.
Again, in and of itself, her participation can't be used as an indictment against Lynch, but it does suggest a pattern of being a valued part of "the team," and such career-enhancing opportunities usually aren't shared with dissenters. Typically, plum assignments are handed out to - what did Holder call them when led by Republicans? - "idiot cronies."
In fairness, all is not strictly partisan. U.S. District Judge Carol Amon evidently likes Lynch just fine, and she was put on the bench by George H.W. Bush. Still, it's not like he was any kind of friend to gun owners, and it's not like judges should get an automatic pass just because they were appointed by Republicans.
If Lynch does get the nod, it's incumbent upon activist gun owners to demand getting some specific answers, and not to be put off by weasel words and "I believe in the Second Amendment" equivocation - hell, even Barack Obama says that, right before showing everyone his big “but.” If we can’t get assurances, the only acceptable course for the Senate to take is to reject her, and for that to happen, we can’t stand still for NRA to cheese out on us like they did with Holder. If Lynch turns out to be just another apparatchik, gun owners must demand, as they have with other nominees like Sotomayor, Kagan and Murthy, that not just the confirmation vote, but also the vote to bring it out of committee and onto the floor, be scored. And this time, the impact actually ought to mean more than a measly half-grade reduction.
The worst that can happen is furious, irrational "progressives" (are there any other kind?) will accuse us of helping spread Ebola or some other lying nonsense. Think of it this way - they pulled the same tantrum about there being no permanent head of ATF, and things only got worse when everybody gave the administration what they wanted, allowing them to go full B. Todd.
UPDATE: CNN is reporting Barack Obama will nominate Loretta Lynch. That makes it imperative for gun owners to ensure Republicans do not allow a repeat of Eric Holder to be imposed on them, and that the pick must be someone committed to examining official Fast and Furious lawbreaking and dismantling the stone wall erected by the current AG. As there is a chance confirmation hearings could start before the new Republican majority Senate is seated, NRA must make it clear to all supposed "pro-gun" Democrats that a vote to confirm an unacceptable AG will carry meaningful grade reduction penalties and ruin any chance of an endorsement.
