Cong. Lewis: Sessions Frequently “On the Wrong Side of History”
John Lewis testified against Sen. Jeff Sessions’ nomination as Attorney General on Wednesday.
Much of what Cong. Lewis said is in line with his previous messages but Lewis highlighted Sessions’ work prosecuting civil rights “icons” and celebration of the Voting Rights Act losing much of its teeth. The spirit and tone of Lewis’ testimony called to mind Faulkner’s quote: “in the South the past is never dead. It’s not even past.”
Lewis said:
Many want to gamble with the question, “Where does Senator Sessions stand?” As a fellow Southerner, I have no doubt that Senator Sessions is polite to all he meets. My concern is not about how nice he is; it is about what is in his heart and soul. Will he open up the political process?
…Or will the Senator encourage a continued and full assault on the remnants the Voting Rights Act as he did in the aftermath of the Shelby County v. Holder decision? Will he oppose common-sense, bipartisan, legislative responses to fix what the Supreme Court broke?
…Let me be crystal clear. If we are to govern this nation justly, we must protect progress at every turn, not elevate those who question the necessity of progress itself.
…When faced with a challenge, Senator Sessions has frequently chosen to stand on the wrong side of history. As the entire world watches, I ask the Members of this Committee to look deep within and ask whether we can take that chance with the highest law enforcement official in our country.
The full video of Lewis’ testimony is below.
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As someone who voted against Trump but trends conservative, it’s annoying to see Dems freaking out over anything they can get their hands on. He can’t be regulated while in office if voters are already accustomed to hearing the media howl.
The best way to be tuned out is to be a constant irritating noise….. JL the eternal victim in eternal need……like a charity robo call….
Sessions is a mean-mouthed shrimp who’d look good in a uniform with lots of medals. He hates dope smokers, the NAACP, and just about anyone else who isn’t a conservative Republican. The Senate didn’t confirm him to a judgeship in 1986 and should turn him down now, but won’t.
Zzzzzzz…
Just out of curiosity: what would you consider an appropriate level of reaction to a Cabinet-level nominee especially if a congressman has strong misgivings about the nominee’s record?
Yawn. Lewis who ranks right there at the top of the do nothing but bitch congressional member list opposes a GOP nominee? Shocking!
I agree with you here. But remember, Lewis has been in the House since the 1980’s and has never chaired a major committee and has never authored any meaningful legislation. All he’s been good for is to remind us that he once got hit in the head with a rock. He should just step down and let Kasim run for his seat already.
If anyone ever thinks we’ll be able to have a spirit of bi-partisan comity soon just read this thread to be disillusioned.
Cheers to your comment, Ed. Cheers.
I despise all you represent or hold dear.
???????
These hearings are shows. No senator changed his mind because of Lewis or any witness. The problem with Lewis is we have heard the same stale stuff from him for years and it’s quite old and tired.
Yea because Lewis has made a career of seeking bi-partisan comity, it’s just the rest of us that aren’t able to ascend to his level of understanding.
He actually made a name for himself building cross-partisan coalitions and if you weren’t in favor of integration… well.
Whereas Jeff Sessions was likely burning crosses!
Seriously, Sessions is just creepy. Trump can do much better than him.
Alabama Senator Sessions was asked Tuesday during his confirmation hearing if grabbing a woman by the genitals without her consent is sexual assault, whether millions of Americans voted fraudulently in November’s election, and whether banning all Muslims from entering the United States was good policy.
Those would seem absurd questions at a confirmation hearing for a U.S. Cabinet appointee, but Sessions’ boss is Trump, and Trump said he could grab women by the vagina because he was a celebrity, claimed that millions of Americans voted fraudulently and proposed banning Muslims from entering the country.
“I don’t know what the president-elect meant or was thinking when he made that comment or what facts he may have had to justify his statement,” Sessions said.
There you have it—Sessions can be relied on to act to judge the facts and act independently.