Ayotte Opposes Presiden'ts Nominee for Deputy Attorney General

Statement

U.S. Senator Kelly Ayote (R-NH) tonight voted against cloture on President Obama's nomination of James Cole to serve as Deputy Attorney General of the US Department of Justice (DOJ). By a vote of 50 to 40, cloture was not invoked (60 votes were needed to end debate).

In opposing Cole, who in December received a recess appointment to serve as Deputy Attorney General for one year, Ayotte raised serious concerns about the DOJ's refusal to comply with requests from minority members of the Senate Intelligence Committee for documents and information relating to the Administration's Guantanamo Bay Detainee Review Task Force.

"I'm profoundly concerned by the Department of Justice's refusal to provide the Senate with information it has requested to help craft a responsible terrorist detention policy that will keep us safe. With 25 percent of released Guantanamo detainees having rejoined the terrorist fight, I find Cole's lack of responsiveness in this important national security matter to be unacceptable, and it raises serious concerns about his nomination," said Ayotte, an Armed Services Committee member and former state attorney general.

Source