Veasey and House Democrats Urge Senate to Oppose Sessions’ Nomination

Washington, D.C. – As Senate Democrats requested a delay on the confirmation vote for President Trump's nominee for U.S. Attorney General, Congressman Marc Veasey, TX-33, and 49 House Democrats delivered a letter to Majority Leader McConnell, Minority Leader Schumer, Senate Judiciary Chairman Grassley and Senate Judiciary Ranking Member Diane Feinstein urging members of the Senate to deny Senator Jeff Sessions the position of U.S. Attorney General based on his past failures to protect vulnerable populations.

The letter details how Senator Sessions' actions during his time as an attorney, Alabama district judge, and elected official call into question his ability to carry out his responsibilities as the country's chief law enforcement officer. Specifically, Members shared their concern regarding his decision to prosecute civil rights activists attempting to register voters, his obstruction on immigration reform, his support of a constitutional ban on same sex marriage, and his public praise of the Supreme Court decision that greatly undermined the Voting Rights of 1965.

"As Attorney General, Senator Sessions would be responsible for ensuring that every American receives equal justice under the law. Given his record on civil rights and hardline stances in the Senate, Senator Sessions is not suited for the job. We cannot let our country slip back into a time where protection under the law was not carried out equally," Congressman Veasey said.

Fellow co-signers of the letter included: Representatives Alma Adams (NC-12), Joyce Beatty (OH-3), Earl Blumenauer (OR-3), Anthony Brown (MD-4), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Andre Carson (IN-7), Judy Chu (CA-27), David Cicilline (D-RI), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-9), James Clyburn (SC-6), Steve Cohen (TN-9), John Conyers (MI-13), Elijah Cummings (MD-7), Danny Davis (IL-7), Val Demings (FL-10), Keith Ellison (MN-5), Elizabeth Esty (CT-5), Dwight Evans (PA-2), Marcia Fudge (OH-11), Ruben Gallego (AZ-7), Raul M. Grijalva (AZ-3), Luis V. Gutierrez (IL-4), Alcee L. Hastings (FL-20), Jared Huffman (CA-2), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Pramila Jayapal (WA-7), Hakeem Jeffries (NY-8), Ruben Kihuen (NV-4), Al Jr. Lawson (FL-5), Barbara Lee (CA-13), Ted W. Lieu (CA-33), Alan Lowenthal (CA-47), Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18), Betty McCollum (MN-4), Donald McEachin (VA-4), James McGovern (MA-2), Gregory Meeks (NY-5), Grace Meng (NY-6), Gwen Moore (WI-4), Stacey Plaskett (VI), Mark Pocan (WI-2), Jared Polis (CO-2), Cedric Richmond (LA-2), Jan Schakowsky (IL-9), Bobby Scott (VA-3), Darren Soto (FL-9), Norma Torres (CA-35), Debbie Wasserman Shultz (FL-23), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

A copy of the letter is found below.

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January 23, 2017

The Honorable Mitchell McConnell The Honorable Charles Schumer

Majority Leader U.S. Senate Minority Leader U.S. Senate

U.S. Capitol Building, S-230 U.S. Capitol Building, S-221

Washington, D.C. 20510 Washington, D.C. 20510

Chairman Charles Grassley Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein

Senate Judiciary Committee Senate Judiciary Committee

Washington, D.C. 20510 Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Majority Leader McConnell, Minority Leader Schumer, Chairman Grassley, and Ranking Member Feinstein:

The members of the United States House of Representatives write to urge the members of the Senate to deny confirmation of President- Elect Trump's nominee for Attorney General of the United States, Senator Jefferson Beauregard Sessions. Senator Sessions' record of rejecting legislation designed to ensure fair and equal access to fundamental rights combined with his attitude towards minority and LGBTQ communities is troubling to this body.

The Attorney General fulfills a crucial role in upholding and maintaining the rights of American citizens as the chief law enforcement agent and lawyer of the United States government. Each case that comes to the attention of the Department of Justice has the ability to set precedent and change the landscape of the nation's law enforcement. In recent years, the Attorney General's office has stepped in to protect and investigate violations of the rights of numerous minorities and disenfranchised United States citizens. In sharp contrast, during his career in public service, Mr. Sessions has prosecuted civil rights activists who were attempting to help their community members vote. As a Senator he voted in favor of a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage and praised the Shelby v. Holder decision which effectively dismantled the Voting Rights Act of 1965, with the reasoning that minorities' right to vote has not been suppressed. Senator Sessions also opposed the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in 2013. Additionally, Senator Sessions has a record of opposing immigration and refugee programs by blocking legislative efforts to reform our country's broken immigration system. In light of these few examples, Senator Sessions' potential confirmation as Attorney General could roll back the clock by fifty years or more on Americans' hard won rights and privileges.

In the past fifty years, we have made tremendous progress and continue to make strides in civil rights and equality in our great society. Considering Senator Sessions' record, it is disheartening and frightening that he would be made the highest law enforcement official in the land. The right to vote is one of the most sacred rights granted to United States citizens. Yet Senator Sessions has prosecuted civil rights activists with false allegations of voter fraud, ignoring that one of the pivotal roles of the Department of Justice is to protect the voting rights of citizens. It is especially troubling that Mr. Sessions would be considered for confirmation in light of the denial of this very body of his nomination to a federal judgeship in 1986 because of his negative relationship with minority and disenfranchised communities.

We urge the Senate to serve the best interests of constituents who have elected you to represent them when you vote on confirmation for Senator Sessions. Additionally, when Americans enjoy more rights and freedom than they have ever had, we cannot allow our country to backslide into the regrettable days of the past. We are sincerely disappointed to learn that partisan divisions are again threatening the civil and human rights of Americans, despite the Senate's constitutional duty to represent the interests of all of their constituents. The Senate would be doing the public a grave disservice by confirming a nominee with the dismal track record of Senator Sessions on LGBTQ and minority issues, creating a situation whereby millions of Americans will be ignored by the institutions designed to protect them. We respectfully request that you demonstrate to the public that the Senate can move past party politics and put the best interests of the nation ahead of their own.

Sincerely,