Congressman Smith Statement Denouncing President-Elect Trump’s Nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions

“With the nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions as the 84th Attorney General for the United States, President-elect Donald Trump has selected a documented racist to be a member of his cabinet.

“Senator Sessions has a long history of disturbing racism. In 1986, Senator Session’s racism kept him from being confirmed by the Senate Judiciary Committee for a federal judgeship under President Ronald Reagan. During the confirmation hearings, it became public that Senator Sessions had previously made statements sympathizing with the Ku Klux Klan and viewed both the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) as “un-American” and “trying to force civil right down the throats of people.”

“The next Attorney General will be tasked with essential role of chief law enforcement officer and chief lawyer of the United States government. Regardless of who the Senate confirms as Attorney General, I will continue to vocally advocate for policies that create a more just criminal justice system, and fight to dismantle structural racism at all levels of our government.”