WS Chronicle

Disappointed  in Senator Tillis’ vote

 To the Editor:

Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) on Thursday, Feb. 26, released the following statement regarding North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis’ vote against the nomination of Loretta Lynch for Attorney General of the United States:

“I am deeply disappointed, as I’m sure many North Carolinians are, in Senator Thom Tillis’ vote this morning in the Senate Judiciary Committee.  Senator Tillis voted against the nomination of North Carolina’s own, Loretta Lynch, for Attorney General of the United States, despite a successful 30-year legal career as a lawyer, prosecutor, and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

Senator Tillis had an opportunity today to be on the right side of history in supporting the nomination of Ms. Lynch, who would be the first African-American woman to serve as Attorney General.

The politics that Republicans have played with Ms. Lynch’s nomination is deplorable.

Ms. Lynch’s nomination has been pending for more than 100 days.  During this time she has been open and transparent, answering hundreds of questions requested by members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Opposition to her nomination is nothing more than a political ploy by Republicans to once again use any means necessary to show their disdain for the President.

It is disturbing that Senator Tillis is beginning his tenure in the Senate by casting such a misguided and politically calculated vote.

However, I’m confident that the full Senate will confirm Loretta Lynch, a daughter of North Carolina, as the next Attorney General of the United States.”

U.S. Rep. G. K. Butterfield, N.C. District 1

Confirm Loretta Lynch

To the Editor:

I proudly support Loretta Lynch’s confirmation. Lynch deserves a swift confirmation. Yet, after nearly 110 days, the Senate Judiciary Committee finally voted (12-8) to approve Loretta Lynch and move her nomination forward for a vote on the Senate floor. While this confirmation process has been long and chaotic, I do find hope in the fact that Lynch’s confirmation will now move to a full vote in the Senate.

I am extremely disappointed with Senator Thom Tillis’ no vote. He himself acknowledged Lynch’s strong qualifications and experience, adding: ‘She was raised right.’ Some Senate Republicans have treated this Greensboro native horribly. As I listened to each Senator’s responses, it became obvious that Ms. Lynch was being punished because of their dislike for Eric Holder and President Obama. She is well-qualified and very capable of serving as the next U.S. Attorney General.

I am also disappointed because this profoundly qualified, intelligent African American woman was scrutinized differently by the Senate than any man who has come before her — eight hours of testimony, almost 900 written questions, and not one of the witnesses who testified said they opposed her confirmation.

Loretta Lynch would be the first African-American woman to serve as Attorney General. Is that the problem? She deserves and should have been judged on her own merit. She is not President Obama nor is she Attorney General Eric Holder.

U.S. Rep. Alma Adams, North Carolina District 12

Swift confirmation

 To the Editor: 

President Obama’s nominee for attorney general, Loretta Lynch, currently serves as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and, if confirmed, would be the first African-American woman to fill the role of attorney general of the United States.

Lynch is a fully-qualified candidate to serve in the role of Attorney General, and the Senate should cause no delay in confirming her to this position.

Lynch has a proven track record as a prosecutor and civil servant. Born in the dawn of integration in North Carolina to a librarian and Baptist minister, Lynch’s personal narrative has informed her service to the public in her current role as a U.S. Attorney and instilled in her a necessary commitment to addressing the civil rights issues of our day. The Senate has previously confirmed her appointment as a U.S. Attorney, which bodes as a strong indication of her credibility, veracity and service.

The United States will be well-served with Loretta Lynch as our attorney general. The Senate should acknowledge this and confirm her without hesitation.

The American people deserve a chief law enforcement officer of the federal government who follows the principles of fundamental fairness and equal justice under the law. Loretta Lynch will do just that as our attorney general.

Advancement Project works with grassroots partners across the nation who are fighting the civil rights battles of our era on the ground every day. From fighting modern day voter suppression tactics, to demanding an end to the school-to-prison pipeline and police militarization in communities of color – these civil rights champions deserve an executive in our Justice Department who will remain unrelenting in eliminating racial injustices. The Senate should do the right thing by the American people and confirm Loretta Lynch as Attorney General of the United States.

Co-Directors Judith Browne Dianis and Penda Hair, Advancement Project, a multi-racial civil rights organization.

Contact lawmakers about UNC Board

 To the Editor:                               

In your editorial “HBCUs Need New Advocate on UNC Board,” who will apply to serve on the UNC Board of Governors?”

You stated that “We hope it will be people who will speak up for the HBCUs and work to stop the move to end a valuable part of Black History.”

Let’s examine the people presently serving on the Board.

The UNC Board of Governors has 32 voting members in which three are ex-officio members.  Twenty-nine are registered Republicans, four are Democrats and two are registered unaffiliated.  One of the board members does not live in North Carolina.

There are seven white females and two African Americans.

One is a registered Republican, the other is a registered unaffiliated, which probably means she is a Republican.

Seventeen of the (32) Board members graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

NOT ONE OF THE 32 MEMBERS ATTENDED an HBCU SCHOOL, including the two African -American members.

One attended UNC and the other one attended North Carolina State University and Duke University’s School of Law.  Most of the board members are businessmen.

Although the 32 voting members of the UNC Board of Governors are elected by the General Assembly for four year terms and the General Assembly is controlled by Republicans.

African-Americans, especially Alumnus from the HBCU institutions should contact their local representatives and voice their concerns loud and clear to put members on the Board that represent the population of the state.

Conversely, this is the first time in almost twenty years that only two African Americans have been on the board and one of the few times that there was not a board member that graduated from an HBCU institution.

There have been at one time, as many as seven African-Americans on the UNC Board of Governors.

Dr. Lenwood G. Davis