Published March 17, 2015 at 10:44 a.m.

By Sabrina Eaton, The Plain Dealer

Warrensville Heights Democratic Rep. Marcia Fudge on Tuesday called on Republicans who control the U.S. Senate to approve Loretta Lynch's nomination to be U.S. Attorney General, calling Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell "petty and mean spirited" for using the nomination as a "pawn" in ongoing disputes with Obama.

"It is beneath him as the leader of the Senate to suggest they can't do more than one thing at a time," Fudge said during a press phone call. "This is nothing more than a backdoor attempt to deny the president his choice for Attorney General just because he wants to do it."

In November, Obama nominated Lynch to succeed Eric Holder as Attorney General. Democrats who controlled the U.S. Senate at that time agreed to postpone consideration of her nomination until this year's Republican takeover of Congress.

The Senate Judiciary Committee signed off on her nomination on Feb. 26, and Democrats contend Republicans have been "playing politics" with her nomination. They observe the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed her twice for prior jobs.

Over the weekend, Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell told CNN that Senate floor consideration of Lynch's nomination may get pushed back until April if the Senate doesn't pass an anti-human trafficking bill that's currently being blocked by Democrats who are upset the bill contains anti-abortion language.

"It's not a threat," McConnell said. "We need to finish this human trafficking bill. ...The Loretta Lynch nomination comes next."

McConnell told CNN that Lynch's nomination was affected by Republican anger over President Obama's November immigration actions.

But because four Republicans in the Senate - Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine, Jeff Flake of Arizona, and Orrin Hatch of Utah - have already said they'll back her - Democrats contend her nomination already has enough votes for passage and a prompt vote should occur.

"There has not been a legitimate question that's been raised about her aptitude for the office," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Monday. "So the delay is unconscionable; it's unexplained."

Fudge said the delays show that Republicans who control the Senate don't know how to govern, and criticized many of them for sending a controversial letter to rulers of the Islamic Republic of Iran in an effort to sway ongoing nuclear negotiations with the Obama administration

"Instead of sending a letter to the mullah, they need to do what's neccessary to move America forward," said Fudge, who urged people to call McConnell's office to demand an immediate vote.

Ohio's Republican Senator, Rob Portman, who signed the Iran letter, has not yet expressed a position on Lynch's nomination. He plans to meet with Lynch in coming days.

Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown says he backs Lynch.

"Loretta Lynch will be a strong and forceful advocate for all Americans," said a February statement from Brown. "I look forward to supporting her historic nomination."