Durbin: Loretta Lynch Being Asked To 'Sit In The Back Of The Bus' In Senate

[DonViejo]

Source: TPM

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) blasted the delay in confirming Loretta Lynch as the first African American female attorney general, making a segregation-era reference when attacking the Senate Republican leadership.

"Loretta Lynch, the first African-American woman nominated to be attorney general, is asked to sit in the back of the bus when it comes to the Senate calendar," the No. 2 Democratic senator said Wednesday in a floor speech. "That is unfair. It's unjust. It is beneath the decorum and dignity of the United States Senate. This woman deserves fairness."

Lynch's nomination, made official in November, is being held up over an unrelated dispute about an anti-abortion provision in an anti-human-trafficking bill. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said Tuesday she'll get a final confirmation vote once the bill is completed.

###

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/durbin-lynch-sit-in-the-back-of-the-bus

[Renew Deal]

1. I don't think it has anything to do with race

So if Durbin honestly believes this then he's wrong, and if he's using race as a tactic, it's wrong to do.

The republicans are being themselves.

[AlinPA]

3. Yes, being themselves: racists. The teabagger senators can not approve a female black AG.

[Paladin]

5. The Senate's mistreatment of Ms. Lynch has EVERYTHING to do with race.

No point in cutting the Republicans any slack on this point. If Lynch and Obama were white, this wouldn't be happening.

[7962]

6. I agree. They'd be holding back whoever the nominee was. Its what they do. nt

[BumRushDaShow]

7. It sure as hell has to do with race

Ever since the evening before Barack Obama was inaugurated when a plotting session was held, the racist GOP leadership have done everything in their power to block everything he does and anyone that he has selected to do what he needs done. The unprecedented amount of insults, disrespect, and filibusters, is legendary.

And the fact that they whined about Eric Holder, the idiocy is magnified by blocking his replacement for no other reason except her black face (particularly since the "anti-abortion" bullshit statement is ALREADY included in other legislation, including the ACA, and the annual appropriations legislation).

[freshwest]

9. Agreed and thanks for the link.

[tjl148]

14. The anti abortion statement is in the ACA?

Then why didn't the democrats vote for the Human Trafficking Bill when it was before the Senate?

[BumRushDaShow]

15. Do you recall the hysteria surrounding Bart Stupak and 16 other Democrats

when the ACA was going through final passage?

It had to do with a group of anti-choice Democrats who were blocking passage unless some federal abortion funding restriction was added to the legislation. Here is a portion of Stupak's WP Editorial on the issue after the ACA passage -

<...>

Last November, an amendment I introduced succeeded in making sure the House health-care-reform bill contained the current law prohibiting public funding for abortions. I was disappointed that the Senate could not pass my language and only mustered 45 pro-life votes, far short of the 60 votes needed to keep the amendment intact.

Many of my Democratic pro-life colleagues and I worked tirelessly in the days leading up to the final House vote on health-care reform to strengthen the legislation's restrictions on abortion funding. We proposed numerous procedural and legislative options, but ultimately all of our efforts required the 60 votes we could not obtain in the Senate.

Once it was clear that the House leadership would eventually obtain the 216 votes necessary to pass health-care reform, I was left with a choice: Vote against the bill and watch it become law with no further protections for life or reach an agreement that prevents federal funding for abortions.

Therefore, I and other pro-life Democrats struck an agreement with President Obama to issue an executive order that would ensure all Hyde Amendment protections would apply to the health-care reform bill. No, an executive order is not as strong as the statutory language we fought for at the start. We received, however, an "ironclad" commitment from the president that no taxpayer dollars will be used to pay for abortions.

<...>

More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/26/AR2010032602921.html

His stance against the Democratic pro-choice platform, effectively ended his career and he chose to retire at the end of his term. And EVERY year, as a normal practice since 1976 in appropriations bills, the Hyde Amendment has been added that "forbids" federal funding for abortions, WITH exceptions. But this provision must be "renewed" as a "rider" to other legislation, and has never been made "permanent" as a standalone "law", as a compromise position between the 2 camps. The text of the "Hyde Amendment" (rider) that is already attached to bills can be found here -

A BILL


To prohibit the expenditure of Federal funds for abortions, and for
other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Hyde Amendment Codification Act''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITING FEDERALLY FUNDED ABORTIONS.

Title 1 of the United States Code is amended by adding at the end
the following new chapter:

``CHAPTER 4--PROHIBITING FEDERALLY FUNDED ABORTIONS

``SEC. 301. PROHIBITION ON FUNDING FOR ABORTIONS.

``(a) In General.--No funds authorized or appropriated by Federal
law, and none of the funds in any trust fund to which funds are
authorized or appropriated by Federal law, shall be expended for any
abortion.
``(b) Health Benefits Coverage.--No funds authorized or
appropriated by Federal law, and none of the funds in any trust fund to
which funds are authorized or appropriated by Federal law, shall be
expended for health benefits coverage that includes coverage of
abortion.

``SEC. 302. TREATMENT OF ABORTIONS RELATED TO RAPE, INCEST, OR
PRESERVING THE LIFE OF THE MOTHER.

``The limitations established in sections 301 shall not apply to an
abortion--
``(1) if the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or
incest; or
``(2) in the case where a woman suffers from a physical
disorder, physical injury, or physical illness, including a
life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from
the pregnancy itself, that would, as certified by a physician,
place the woman in danger of death unless an abortion is
performed.''.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/142/text

The problem with this Human Trafficking bill language was that it would make the amendment "permanent" in all cases, versus being renewed every year as it is done now, and would not just ban federally appropriated funds, but would ban use of ANY funds that come from fees or fines that are obtained from perpetrators (where such is NOT considered "federally appropriated funds&quot -

<...>

But Democratic staffers argue that passing the anti-trafficking bill as it’s written could amount to an expansion of the harmful policies stemming from Hyde. While the Hyde Amendment restricts taxpayer funds, the human trafficking measure would restrict fees and fines, which Democrats say goes beyond the initial scope of the abortion coverage ban. They’re also concerned about the fact that the abortion restrictions in the trafficking bill would be permanent, while the Hyde Amendment must be re-approved each year during the budget appropriations process.

<...>

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2015/03/17/3634733/hyde-amendment-trafficking-bill/

According to a number of articles, the bullet point summary of the bill presented to Democrats in January did not mention ANYTHING about Hyde Amendment provisions, and then suddenly, these appeared in the bill put on the floor.

The racist fuckers are sealing their fate in history along with George Wallace and Bull Connor.

[hopemountain]

17. the best explanation of the ratfuckers

smoke and mirror games to attack all women by attacking one black woman & president obama.

at this point, mcconnel and his clowns are slinging s**t. they will even sling a woman's right to choose. women & their rights are no more than projectiles and ammunition to the gop. period.

[tjl148]

18. Thanks...

Good explanantion. I had forgotten about Stupak.

[BumRushDaShow]

19. I think many of us want to forget about Stupak... forever. nt

[CreekDog]

10. You offer no evidence that he's wrong

You don't get to just say he's wrong and have us all believe it.

[Renew Deal]

12. No evidence needed

My opinion is different than his opinion. What factual "evidence" was presented that proves their actions are racist? It was his claim. Let him prove it.

[lewebley3]

2. If we want to get Lynch through, Holder should Call a Special Prosecute and a grand jury 47 Traitors

It would put treason with GOP in the headlines, and the GOP will run to get rid of
Holder. It could work they are not very bright. We need to know
what bribes these GOP people rec, we need to know emails what
went back an forth. We need to know if crimes were committed.

[madamesilverspurs]

4. He's right.

But then Republicans have spent six years trying to force Obama to back of the bus if not under it, so they do have considerable practice . . .

[madokie]

8. And that he won't succumb to them

just blows their peabrains. I love it that he stands toe to toe with them. One of the things I like about President O is he picks his fights, he doesn't let them pick 'm for him.

[rladdi]

13. I feel so bad the Leader McConnell is so incompetent he will not allow a vote.

We know for sure that the Republicans cannot lead or even pass a bowel movement. They cannot pass any clean bill.
But the Democrats had an opportunity to vote on her nomination last year and they felt the Republicans would bring her up for a vote.
When will the Americans understand the motives of the Republicans. Destroy this nation.

Most of the current law makers in DC are there for the money, not to work. Its a job that affords them to become millionaires wthout doing any work.

[Joe Chi Minh]

16. The perfect analogy. Genius for

analogy and metaphor is not that uncommon on DU. It does tend to be a particular gift of Americans.

How about this for savage irony? It was a comment made by De Swiss, beneath his post on the thread, 'Massive NATO military drills near Russian border underway.'

'Re-making the world safe for democracy.'