Senate votes on Rachael Rollins nomination for US attorney – CBS Boston

WASHINGTON (CBS) – The United States Senate is expected to vote Wednesday on whether to confirm the nomination of Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins as the next United States Attorney for Massachusetts. Rollins would be the first black woman to hold the position.

Her nomination was forwarded from the Senate Judiciary Committee after a binding vote in September – there was a roll call vote on the committee for the first time in 30 years.

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President Joe Biden nominated Rollins for the job in July. But Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton, who has described Rollins as a “pro-crime extremist,” slowed the confirmation process to convince his Republican colleagues to oppose the nomination.

Massachusetts Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren both supported Rollins’ nomination.

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“Rollins has demonstrated that progressive policies can be effective in cutting down on serious crime, which seems to disappoint her opponents,” Warren said on the Senate floor. “It’s no surprise that a number of right-wing voices have sought to take the matter beyond Rollins’ nomination.”

Rollins was elected district attorney in 2018 after promising not to prosecute a number of low-profile crimes. She said she wanted to focus on serious crimes instead of crimes caused by mental health problems or addiction.

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Governor Charlie Baker will appoint a successor to fill the remainder of Rollins’ term as district attorney if she is confirmed.