Senate confirms civil rights advocate

Thomas Perez, the Maryland lawyer selected by President Obama for the administration's most important civil-rights post, won Senate confirmation yesterday after months of delay.

On a bipartisan tally of 72-22, the Senate voted to approve Perez's nomination as head of the Civil Rights Division at the Justice Department.

Only two senators, both Republicans, spoke out against the nomination. One was Oklahoma's Tom Coburn, who along with Louisiana's David Vitter had used procedural tactics to prevent a vote, objecting to Perez's professed "progressive Democratic" inclinations. By lifting their holds, the Senate was able to act.

Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Democrat from Vermont, accused Republicans of "posturing for narrow special interests."

Perez was one of five assistant attorneys general selected this year by Obama whose nominations have been blocked by Republicans.

"Is there such resentment that President Obama won the election?" Leahy said.

The Baltimore Sun