Loretta Lynch becomes first black woman US attorney general

The US Senate confirmed Loretta Lynch as the nation’s first black female attorney general Thursday, installing an aggressive counter-terrorism prosecutor as the top law enforcement official for President Barack Obama’s final 21 months in office.

Lynch was confirmed in a 56-43 vote with 10 Republicans crossing the political aisle to lend their support following weeks of gridlock after her confirmation process was dragged into a bitter partisan battle over abortion. She takes over from outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder, whom Republicans had criticized as being a rubber stamp for Obama’s policies.

Lynch’s confirmation brought to an end a months-long process that Democrats noted took longer than the confirmation of the seven previous attorneys general combined..

“Today, the Senate finally confirmed Loretta Lynch to be America’s next attorney general – and America will be better off for it,” Obama said in a statement.

“Loretta has spent her life fighting for the fair and equal justice that is the foundation of our democracy.

Lynch, 55, is US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, where she thrived as a relentless federal prosecutor putting mobsters and terror suspects behind bars.