The Senate voted for confirmation on Tuesday Kristen ClarkeKristen Clarke Senate Barely Aheads Biden Civil Rights Candidate White House Environmental Justice Advisors Oppose Biden Administration’s Nuclear Capture Projects To Develop Performance Standards For Federal Buildings Approving Kristen Clarke’s nomination should be a breeze as the new head of the agency’s civil rights department in a narrow 51-48 vote with Sen. Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsRomney, the first GOP Senator to say he would vote for the January 6 commission bill. The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Uber – Hopes for a bipartisan compromise on Biden’s agenda This Week: Senate Ready for Chaotic Sprint Before Break MORE (Maine) the only Republican to cross party lines and vote for them.
Clarke will become the first black woman to lead the influential wing of the Justice Department and will serve as assistant attorney general for civil rights.
The Civil Rights Division’s duties include investigating local law enforcement agencies and implementing state election restrictions across the country.
The confirmation came on the occasion of the one year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted in April.
The Republicans rejected Clarke’s nomination, calling them anti-police and radicals, while the Democrats dismissed such arguments as smear tactics.
The Judicial Committee nomination was bogged down between 11 and 11, but that doesn’t stop Clarke’s nomination from taking the floor.
Clarke said during her confirmation hearing in April that she did not support “police defunding.”
“I support the search for strategies to ensure law enforcement can do their jobs more safely and effectively, and channeling resources into emotional health care and other areas of severely under-resourceed is a way forward in my opinion.” she said at the time.
Clarke served as President and Executive Director of the Civil Rights Advocacy Committee until he was named senior DOJ.
In this role she was a staunch advocate of the John Lewis
John Lewis Returns Eric Holder’s Ghost to Chief of Justice Department Intercept Bureau: Manchin-backed Bill Does Not Address Voter Suppression Voting Rights Improvement Act, which would revise the formula that drove the federal advance approval contained in the original Voting Rights Act.
The Supreme Court ruled in 2013 that the formula was out of date and therefore unconstitutional, despite Chief Justice John Roberts giving Congress the go-ahead to update the formula.
The battle for Clarke’s nomination mirrored the battle for Vanita Gupta’s confirmation battle for third place in Justice.
Gupta was confirmed in a 51-49 vote with Sen. Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann MurkowskiNRSC chairman urges Trump to support incumbents in 2022. Biden Signs Bill To Help Alaskan Cruise Industry This Week: Senate Prepares For Chaotic Sprint Before Break MORE (Alaska) the only GOP crossover vote.
Gupta and Clarke both had the support of law enforcement groups, even as conservative lawmakers tried to paint them as anti-police.
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