Drug policy is being cited as one of the key topics Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch will be pressed to address during her confirmation hearings, starting today, in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Drug policy tops The Hill's list of "5 Things to Watch at AG Nominee's Hearing" and WFMY's list of "5 Things to Watch for in Loretta Lynch's Confirmation Hearing," and it's included in Politico's topic roundup in "Judiciary to Loretta Lynch: Expect a Grilling," among others.
Lynch, who has twice held posts as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, is said to be likely to be confirmed, although her responses to some tough questions during the hearings are highly anticipated.
As The Hill reported:
"[Current Attorney General Eric]Â Holder, who has described drug policy as a legacy issue, did not intervene when Colorado and Washington state moved to legalize marijuana. He also jump-started an initiative aimed at identifying nonviolent drug offenders in prison who could be considered for clemency.
Lynch said in a 2001 interview that there 'were a lot of issues that went on with the war on drugs' and that penalties on crack cocaine 'had a huge collateral consequence in the minority community.' Senators on both sides of the aisle will be watching her statements closely."
As WFMY reported:
"Holder has steadily worked to reform drug laws by reducing federal prosecutions oflow-level drug offenses, especially those involving marijuana. …Â Holder has pushed to make those changes retroactive by letting nonviolent, low-level drug offenders currently serving sentences apply for clemency. It remains to be seen whether Lynch will continue down this path. She has a record of aggressively prosecuting drug offenses in the Eastern District but no public record on reforming drug sentencing laws. This topic is ripe for questions by committee members of both parties."
Other topics on the priority lists include immigration, race, law enforcement, "cyber attacks by foreign actors," and terror-related foreign fighters.
