Attorney general nominee Loretta Lynch, President Barack Obama’s choice to run the Justice Department, appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee for her confirmation hearing, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

(Politico) – The debate about confirming Loretta Lynch is suddenly getting partisan.

Democrats are now increasingly slamming the Republicans’ handling of President Barack Obama’s nominee for attorney general, complaining that the veteran federal prosecutor’s confirmation is being slow-walked by Republicans. Their evidence: The Senate Judiciary Committee could clear Lynch’s nomination as early as Thursday, two weeks after her confirmation hearing ended. But that vote will almost certainly be delayed until the end of this month — which means she won’t get a final floor vote until March.

The confirmation pace stands in especially stark contrast to how quickly the GOP-led Senate has taken up Ash Carter’s nomination for defense secretary. He first appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee Feb. 4, was swiftly reported out of that panel earlier this week and is headed to a Thursday confirmation vote.

“There’s so many similarities between the Lynch nomination and the Carter nomination,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), one of Lynch’s biggest boosters. “And to move Carter so quickly and to slow down Lynch is very troublesome, and I think they ought to move her ASAP.”

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