Alabama-Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions cleared another major hurdle on Wednesday, moving one step closer to becoming the nation’s next attorney general, when the Senate Judiciary Committee approved his nomination on a party-line vote.
The 11-9 decision now moves to the Senate floor confirmation, where he is widely expected to be confirmed given the GOP’s 52-seat majority. To date, none of his Republican colleagues have voiced opposition to him nomination and he has the vote of at least one Democrat — West Virginia-Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin.
Upon full chamber confirmation, Sessions is poised to take over as the nation’s chief law enforcement officer, a post which is now vacant following President Donald Trump‘s late-night firing of acting Attorney General Sally Yates on Monday.
