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 Loretta Lynch, nominated to the post in November, has stirred
little controversy in her 16 years with the U.S. Attorney's office
in Brooklyn and is expected to win confirmation.
But she is likely to face hours of grilling from the Senate
Judiciary Committee on hot button issues including immigration,
guns, civil rights, national security, and her relationship with
congressional Republicans, who frequently clashed with Attorney
General Eric Holder, an unapologetic liberal voice and one of
Obama's closest allies.
Some Republicans have threatened to use the nomination process as a
battleground to defy Obama's November immigration order, which eased
the threat of deportation for some 5 million undocumented
immigrants.
 One Republican, David Vitter, has already said he will vote "no" and
complained that Lynch did not answer his questions on immigration
and other topics when they met earlier this month. Chuck Grassley,
who chairs the committee, has said he plans to keep the hearing
going until lawmakers ask all their questions.
"There are obviously ongoing disputes between the administration and
particular senators, and the nominee becomes the vehicle by which
those disputes are aired," said Ronald Weich, a former top Justice
Department official on legislative affairs who is now dean at the
University of Baltimore's law school.
Lynch, 55, would be the first black woman to lead the department,
coming to the post amid tensions between black communities and law
enforcement after grand juries failed to indict two white police
officers who killed unarmed black men in separate incidents in
Ferguson, Missouri and New York City.
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She has built a reputation as a diligent prosecutor who avoids the
spotlight, bringing big cases against terrorists and global banks,
and dealing with more mundane issues on an Attorney General's
advisory committee like phone trees and the use of toner at U.S.
Attorney's offices.
She is also known for her diplomatic style, which has earned her
praise from unexpected corners.
"She's an impressive prosecutor, a U.S. attorney and professional,"
Senator John Cornyn, the second-ranking Republican in the Senate,
told reporters on Tuesday. "For me, anything that would expedite
Eric Holder's retirement is a good thing."
(Reporting by Aruna Viswanatha and Julia Edwards in Washington,
additional reporting by Emily Stephenson and Richard Cowan; Editing
by Alan Crosby)
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