Loretta Lynch Confirmed as Attorney General

By Jeralyn, Section Crime Policy
Posted on Fri Apr 24, 2015 at 09:29:00 AM EST
Tags: Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder (all tags)

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Congress finally confirmed Loretta Lynch as Attorney General. Sally Yates, nominated by Obama in December for the Deputy AG slot was also confirmed. Lynch is expected to be sworn in on Monday.

Unfortunately, Lynch does not share Eric Holder's views on marijuana legalization.

She told the Senate that she did not support legalization and did not agree with Mr. Obama that marijuana may not be more dangerous than alcohol.

And she supports the Patriot Act, which once again is coming up for renewal.

It remains to be seen whether she withdraws any of Holder's positive changes to DOJ policy. [More...]

Here's a recap of some of the good things Eric Holder did:

Holder supported reducing drug sentences , which Congress passed.

Holder pushed Congress for the reduction of crack cocaine penalties. Congress reduced them from 100:1 to 18:1. (Yes, 1:1 is the correct ratio, and we didn't get there, but the reduction was a big improvement. And he didn't fight the Sentencing Commission making them retroactive for most defendants.)

Holder issued a directive to prosecutors not to file mandatory minimum charges in drug cases absent the presence of aggravating factors. His reasons:

[W]e now refine our charging policy regarding mandatory minimums for certain nonviolent, low-level drug offenders. We must ensure that our most severe mandatory minimum penalties are reserved for serious, high-level, or violent drug traffickers. In some cases, mandatory minimum and recidivist enhancement statutes have resulted in unduly harsh sentences and perceived or actual disparities that do not reflect our Principles of Federal Prosecution.

Long sentences for low-level, non-violent drug offenses do not promote public safety, deterrence, and rehabilitation. Moreover, rising pr