Attorney General Loretta Lynch said she has not had discussions with Hillary Clinton’s transition team about staying on to lead the Department of Justice if the Democratic presidential candidate is elected.
Ms. Lynch expressed a strong love for her job and a desire to continue the work for as long as possible as she spoke at a criminal justice summit held Tuesday by the Washington Post, but she stopped short of saying she’d stay on the job past January if asked.
“Based on my experience, as U.S. attorney twice, I’ve always found it’s best to focus on the job that you have while you have it,” Ms. Lynch said.
“There is no place that I have been happier. There is no organization I have been prouder to lead. I am committed to carrying out the policies and my priorities as attorney general for as long as I can,” she said.
Asked directly if she’d stay on during a Clinton presidency, Ms. Lynch responded, “I don’t think beyond that.”
Ms. Lynch was sworn into the position in April 2015, becoming the first black woman to serve as attorney general. She took over from Eric Holder at a time that relationships between many communities of color and the police departments that serve them had soured and has stressed the importance of rebuilding trust while also reforming problematic police practices.
• Andrea Noble can be reached at anoble@washingtontimes.com.
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