Cotton, who came to the meeting armed with posters criticizing Rollins ‘notes and testimony, named Rollins’ a prosecutor “by name” who advocates for criminals and advocates “radical pro-crime attitudes.”
“There’s a place for them in our government – it’s called the public defender’s office,” Cotton said, admitting he broke precedent when he was 28 when he called for a roll-call vote on a US attorney candidate. Confirmation of these nominations is usually routine and approved through a simple vote.
Democratic Senator Cory Booker criticized Senators for attacks on Rollins’ character, noting that the committee had received letters of support from law enforcement officers and former Republican prosecutors.
“That just doesn’t hold up,” said Booker. “That sounds like rhetoric that doesn’t correspond to reality.”
If approved by the entire Senate, Rollins would be the first black woman to hold the post of senior law enforcement officer in the state. But Rollins, a downright progressive prosecutor, has seen unusual opposition to a US attorney and faced some of her policies and tied statements on the Senate Judiciary Committee over concerns from Republicans.
Massachusetts Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey stood up for members of the committee to support Rollins’ while Cotton led the opposition, which goes to vote Thursday. Cotton forced a delay in the confirmation vote, which was scheduled for September 23, to get his colleagues to vote against her.
No Democrats are expected to oppose Rollins’, but several Republicans said they have concerns and the outcome is uncertain. Since the members of the committee are evenly split between Democrats and Republicans, the vote could end at 11:11 if all Republicans are against Rollins’. The stalemate wouldn’t ruin their approval, but it would slow them down, forcing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to hold an additional Senate vote just to bring up her nomination. Only a simple majority is required for this vote and for Rollins’ approval to take place.
President Biden nominated Rollins in July as part of his first selection of U.S. attorneys, a diverse group of eight nominees that included two black women and four black men. All but Rollins were approved by the Justice Committee on September 23rd in a single, unanimous vote.
Rollins, a former federal attorney, has been Suffolk County’s District Attorney since his disgruntled victory in the 2018 Democratic primary. She was the first black woman to ever hold this post and began to pursue progressive reforms such as: Rollins has also called for police reform following the police murder of George Floyd and other black people.
Two days after her nomination was announced, Cotton said he would try to prevent her from being confirmed. As a potential 2024 presidential candidate, Cotton has criticized the Democrats for criminal justice and linked Rollins with policies he believes have contributed to a surge in violent crime across the country.
Rollins was a US assistant attorney early in her career, and her nomination is supported by several former Massachusetts attorneys, including Republicans Michael Sullivan, William Weld, and Wayne Budd, and Democrats Donald Stern and Carmen Ortiz. You are among dozens of prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and social justice advocates who have written letters of support for Rollins that Warren and Markey distributed to senators.
Senators have also received emails or calls from Katie Lawson, a Dorchester woman, who said Rollins threatened her last December. Lawson alleged Rollins inappropriately flashed her blue lights and activated her siren as they both exited the South Bay Center mall in Dorchester.
Rollins denied the allegations. She said Lawson had gone the wrong way and thought she was going to hit her. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey and the state ethics committee have acquitted Rollins of all wrongdoing.
Christina Prignano from the Globe team contributed to this.
Jim Puzzanghera can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @JimPuzzanghera.
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