WASHINGTON — Loretta Lynch was sworn in Monday as the 83rd U.S. attorney general, becoming the first African-American woman to serve as the nation’s top law enforcement official.
She said her confirmation as attorney general showed that “we can do anything” and pledged to deal with cyberattacks and other threats facing the country.
“We can restore trust and faith both in our laws and those who enforce them,” Lynch said, an apparent reference to ongoing efforts to repair relations between police departments and minority communities.
Vice President Joe Biden administered the oath of office to Lynch at a Justice Department ceremony. Lynch replaces Eric Holder, who left the job Friday after six years as attorney general.
The 55-year-old Lynch was confirmed by the Senate on Thursday following a months-long delay in which her nomination became caught up in a dispute over human trafficking legislation.
“It’s about time,” Biden said to applause.
She was previously the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, which encompasses much of New York City, and is expected to serve as the top federal law enforcement official for the remainder of the Obama administration.
ERIC TUCKER, Associated Press
