Rachael Rollins Confirmed As U.S. Attorney For Massachusetts

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Senate confirmed Rachael Rollins as the next U.S. Attorney in Massachusetts on Wednesday, bringing to a close a contentious nomination process during which the Suffolk County district attorney's efforts at criminal justice reform were highly scrutinized.

Rollins was confirmed by a tie-breaking vote cast by Vice President Kamala Harris, following 50-50 vote in the Senate. She is the first Black woman to hold the position in Massachusetts.

Gov. Charlie Baker will now appoint someone to finish out Rollins's term as district attorney, which ends next year.

Possible candidates include Linda Champion, an assistant general counsel in the state Department of Industrial Accidents and one-time candidate for district attorney, former prosecutor and head of the Sex Offender Registry Board Kevin Hayden and Boston City Councilor Michael Flaherty, Politico reported.

The Senate had also deadlocked on a final procedural vote to end debate on Rollins's nomination, requiring Vice President Kamala Harris to come to Capitol Hill to break the tie.

Rollins has faced fierce opposition from some lawmakers for her efforts at criminal justice reform, including declining to prosecute some low-level, non-violent offenses.

Though she has made clear her focus on prosecuting violent crimes and drug offenses, her critics, including Republican senators Tom Cotton and Ted Cruz, have labeled her "pro-crime" and "radical."

Democrats in her corner cited the bipartisan First Step Act – signed by former President Trump –which Sen. Dick Durbin said "raised the same question she had raised, where should we draw the line."

"She has stepped up with good results," Durbin, the Senate Judiciary Committee chair, said.

The Senate voted 50-47 last week to advance her nomination beyond the Senate Judiciary Committee, which deadlocked along party lines in September.