Loretta Lynch: The Truth About Obama’s Chosen Attorney General

President Obama nominated Loretta Lynch to replace Eric Holder as U.S. Attorney General this past Saturday. The nation has been abuzz about Lynch and her new position in the U.S. government, but not much is known about her career and her past. Here is a quick breakdown of everything you should know about Loretta Lynch.

According to Salon, Lynch is a relatively low-profile attorney for the Eastern District of New York. She prosecuted on behalf of the United States government in a few major cases, such as the police shooting of Abner Louima, a Haitian immigrant, and some public corruption cases against Republican Representative Michael Grimm from New York, among others.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Loretta Lynch’s past and her ability to keep calm and make intelligent decisions even in incredibly difficult situations. For example, during Lynch’s police brutality trial, she had to break the “blue wall of silence” guarding the Brooklyn Police Department, covering up the beating and sodomization of Abner Louima with a broken broomstick. Lynch questioned Eric Turetzky during the trial and uncovered a shocking testimony of severe police misconduct.

Some of Loretta Lynch’s fellow associates claim its this kind of persistence, patience, and integrity that will come in handy during her time as U.S. attorney general, assuming she is approved and confirmed to the position.

Loretta Lynch’s first legal job was for Cahill Gordon & Reindel in the 1980s as a litigation associate. Lynch worked alongside a legendary First Amendment defense lawyer Floyd Abrams. Loretta’s colleague famously defended the New York Times in the Pentagon Papers case. From there, Loretta Lynch went on to serve at the U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn, New York, for 11 straight years, acquiring over a decade of experience in the field. Lynch worked her way to the top and ended up running the department from 1999 to 2001. After that, Loretta made partner at Hogan & Hartson, a D.C. law firm specializing in government, financial, and corporate law — which could provide Lynch with necessary skills to fill Eric Holder’s position. Before Loretta Lynch was nominated by President Obama, she went back to run the U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn for another four years.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Loretta Lynch will be inheriting quite a mess, having to face a storm of tough questions from U.S. policymakers. For example, Republican senator Ted Cruz has publicly announced that Lynch will need to confirm whether or not Obama’s immigration policies are “constitutional and legal.” With the Republicans’ new majority, Loretta Lynch will likely receive a tidal wave of difficult challenges, but her past seems to prove that Lynch is up to the task.

“Loretta doesn’t look to make headlines, she looks to make a difference,” said President Obama. “She’s not about splash, she’s about substance.”

What do you think about Obama’s nomination of Loretta Lynch for attorney general?