The confirmation of Loretta Lynch to the office of U.S. Attorney General has been a bone of contention for many activists and civil rights leaders. Lynch would be the nation’s first Black female attorney general and the second Black person to the hold the office if confirmed. However, Republican House and Senate members have delayed her confirmation and vote for months as they wrangle over politics and race. In an attempt to focus more attention on the plight of Lynch, the Rev. Al Sharpton has announced a hunger strike by himself and other activists in coordination with his organization, the National Action Network.
Sharpton announced that the hunger strike, called the “Confirm Loretta Lynch Fast” will have participants fast each day Lynch is not given a confirmation vote. “These outstanding women leaders are taking an exemplary moral stand that should shake the conscience of the nation as to how unfairly this qualified woman is being treated by Senate leadership. As long as the Senate refuses to take fifteen minutes to confirm someone for Attorney General that they have already confirmed twice for U.S. Attorney, NAN and our allies will do everything in our power to draw attention to this completely unfair and unnecessary delay to vote to confirm Loretta Lynch,” stated Sharpton in an online press release.
According to the press release, each day a new group of participants will take turns fasting for the confirmation. The effort also includes a letter writing campaign as well as calls for people to call their congressional leaders and demand a confirmation vote. Lynch has been waiting for over five months for a vote, which is unprecedented.
