The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee was scheduled to vote on Senator Jeff Sessions’ confirmation as the next U.S. Attorney General earlier this week. But that vote has been delayed until next Tuesday.
Senator Sessions has faced intense criticism from the left for his conservative voting record, and civil rights advocates including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People have pointed to allegations of racist behavior.
Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein of California moved to delay the vote. She says the committee has to have enough time to fully evaluate Sessions’ record and to try and determine what kind of Attorney General he will be.
Sessions, a 30-year veteran of the U.S. Senate and a former State Attorney General and U.S. Attorney, is expected to easily win confirmation. He only needs 50 votes to be confirmed, and Republicans hold 52 seats in the Senate. In addition, at least one Democratic senator has pledged his support for Sessions.