Senate narrowly confirms Vanita Gupta for key Justice Department role

Joe Biden’s nominee for the third-ranking role in the Department of Justice was confirmed by a narrow majority in a divided Senate, after Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski crossed party lines to support Vanita Gupta’s nomination.

Ms Gupta will oversee civil rights and law enforcement reforms critical to the White House agenda.

Vice President Kamala Harris joined the Senate on Wednesday in the event she had to cast a tie-breaking vote to confirm Ms Gupta as associate US Attorney General.