CBC Chairman G.K Butterfield statement on the selection of Senator Jeff Sessiona for Attorney General

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
November 18, 2016

CBC CHAIRMAN G. K. BUTTERFIELD STATEMENT ON THE SELECTION OF SENATOR JEFF SESSIONS FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chairman G. K. Butterfield (D-NC) released the following statement regarding the selection of Alabama junior Senator Jeff Sessions for Attorney General:

“We face an alarming choice in the selection of Senator Jeff Sessions to serve as the chief law enforcer for the United States of America,” said CBC Chairman G. K. Butterfield. “Senator Sessions’ civil rights record is appalling and should disqualify him from Senate confirmation.

“Senator Sessions has continuously obstructed the progress that we’ve made since the historic Civil Rights legislation of the 1960s. Senator Sessions has blocked legislative efforts to ensure racial equality in minority communities, including his opposition to President Obama’s judicial nominations and full enforcement of the Voting Rights Act.

“Having previously been denied a nomination by members of the U.S. Senate over concerns about his views of African Americans, Senator Jeff Sessions will very likely face an uphill battle in being confirmed as the next Attorney General of the United States.

“The Attorney General must run the Department of Justice with a total commitment to the rule of law and must guarantee minority citizens their fundamental constitutional rights. The Congressional Black Caucus stands ready to oppose Senator Sessions’ confirmation as we adamantly believe his appointment will set us back in the advancement of civil rights and race relations across the country.”

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Since its establishment in 1971, Members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) have joined together to empower America’s neglected citizens and address their legislative concerns. For more than 40 years, the CBC has consistently been the voice for people of color and vulnerable communities in Congress and has been committed to utilizing the full Constitutional power and statutory authority of the United States government to ensure that all U.S. citizens have an opportunity to achieve the American Dream. To learn more about the Congressional Black Caucus, visit http://cbc-butterfield.house.gov.

Media inquiries: Candace Randle Person at (202) 593-1331 or Candace.Person@mail.house.gov