Senate confirms Clarke as first Black woman to lead DOJ civil rights
By Marty Johnson - 05/25/21 03:19 PM EDT
The Senate on Tuesday voted to confirm Kristen Clarke as the new head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division in a tight 51-48 vote, with Sen. Susan Collins (Maine) the only Republican to cross party lines and vote for her.
Clarke will be the first Black woman to lead the influential wing of the Justice Department and will serve as assistant attorney general for civil rights.
The Civil Rights Division's tasks include investigating local law enforcement agencies and taking on state voting restrictions around the country.
The confirmation was held on the one-year anniversary of George Floyd's murder by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted in April.
Republicans opposed Clarke's nomination, painting her as anti-police and a radical, while Democrats dismissed such arguments as a smear tactic.
The nomination in the Judiciary Committee was deadlocked at 11-11, but that does not prevent Clarke's nomination from going to the floor.
Clarke during her confirmation hearing in April said she did not support "defunding the police."
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https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/555361-senate-confirms-clarke-as-first-black-woman-to-lead-doj-civil-rights
