SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on a confirmation hearing for the California attorney general nominee (all times local):
11:15 a.m.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra (HAHV’-ee-ayr BUH’-cehr-uh) has cleared the first hurdle to becoming California’s next attorney general.
A state Assembly committee controlled by Democrats voted 6-3 to support the Los Angeles-area congressman Tuesday. He will now be considered by the full chamber.
Becerra would replace Kamala Harris, who was elected to the U.S. Senate.
Republicans on the panel questioned Becerra on how he would work with law enforcement to curb crime. Democrats focused on how Becerra would stand up to the incoming Trump administration.
Becerra promised to support local law enforcement and vigorously defend California laws from federal interference.
The Senate also is scheduled to hold a confirmation hearing before both legislative chambers consider Becerra’s nomination.
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10:50 a.m.
California lawmakers are asking the governor’s pick for state attorney general how he would stand up to the Trump administration and work with law enforcement to curb crime.
U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra (HAHV’-ee-ayr BUH’-cehr-uh) is facing his first confirmation hearing Tuesday to replace Kamala Harris, who was elected to the U.S. Senate in November.
Becerra, a Los Angeles-area Democrat, is the highest-ranking Latino in Congress. He got questions from a mostly friendly Democratic-controlled state Assembly committee.
He told Republicans on the panel that he would work to support local law enforcement. He told Democrats that he’d vigorously defend California laws from interference by the federal government.
If the committee votes to recommend Becerra, he will be considered by the full Assembly.
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1:25 a.m.
The California Assembly is starting the confirmation process for Xavier Becerra (HAHV’-ee-ayr BUH’-cehr-uh), the governor’s pick for attorney general.
A nine-member committee will question Becerra on Tuesday as the first step in the nomination process. The California Democrat is currently the highest-ranking Latino in Congress.
Becerra says in a letter to the committee that he plans to stand up to the incoming Trump administration on issues such as immigration and stop-and-frisk, which allows police to stop and search people they deem suspicious.
The Los Angeles-area congressman would replace Kamala Harris, who was elected to the U.S. Senate in November.
The Senate is also scheduled to hold a confirmation hearing before both chambers of the California Legislature consider Becerra’s nomination.
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