A single Republican senator — Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) — voted against the nomination of Harmeet Dhillon to serve as assistant attorney general, veering away from the rest of her GOP colleagues who voted in favor.
After her nomination in December, lawmakers finally held a formal vote Thursday and Dhillon was approved in a 52-45 vote. However, Murkowski opposed the nomination and sided with Democrats.
President Donald Trump announced in December the nomination of Dhillon to work as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice.
“Throughout her career, Harmeet has stood up consistently to protect our cherished Civil Liberties, including taking on Big Tech for censoring our Free Speech, representing Christians who were prevented from praying together during COVID, and suing corporations who use woke policies to discriminate against their workers,” Trump said in a statement, describing her as “one of the top Election lawyers in the Country, fighting to ensure that all, and ONLY, legal votes are counted.”
“She is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the University of Virginia Law School, and clerked in the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Harmeet is a respected member of the Sikh religious community,” he continued, adding, “In her new role at the DOJ, Harmeet will be a tireless defender of our Constitutional Rights, and will enforce our Civil Rights and Election Laws FAIRLY and FIRMLY.”
Murkowski has long stood out as a moderate establishment Republican, and recently praised Democrat Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) for delivering a marathon anti-Trump speech on the Senate floor.
“Whether you agree with him or not, the past 24+ hours was what most people think a filibuster actually looks like. Congratulations to @SenBooker for his historic feat (while staying on his feet!),” she wrote.
Whether you agree with him or not, the past 24+ hours was what most people think a filibuster actually looks like. Congratulations to @SenBooker for his historic feat (while staying on his feet!)
— Sen. Lisa Murkowski (@lisamurkowski) April 2, 2025
Murkowski has also resisted Trump’s agenda this week in voting to approve a resolution to end the declared emergency allowing tariffs on Canada.
“Like any relationship, there are certainly areas for improvement. I support the President’s efforts to block the flow of fentanyl in our country, but we should remember the old saying that the U.S. and Canada are ‘neighbors by geography, and friends by choice,'” she said, explaining her vote.
“In that same spirit, I’m certain we can find a better way to mutually secure our borders and address fentanyl trafficking than by starting a trade war,” she added.
Today I voted to terminate the emergency declaration put in place to justify higher tariffs on Canadian imports. While not all Canadian trade practices are fair, I’m keenly aware of the negative impacts in store for Alaskan families and businesses should tariffs drive up the…
— Sen. Lisa Murkowski (@lisamurkowski) April 2, 2025
Trump said this week that Murkowski is among those suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS).
