Today, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Jefferson Sessions’ nomination to be Attorney General of the United States. Project Vote President Michael Slater issued the following statement in response:
“Since beginning its rushed confirmation process for Jefferson Sessions, the Republican-controlled Senate has demonstrated an irresponsible lack of interest in fully exploring the man’s record, and an appalling disregard for the rights and concerns of the American people.
“We are at a point in history when the most vulnerable Americans desperately need a chief lawyer who will protect and defend their fundamental civil liberties. Instead, the Senate has skimped on its vetting obligations, silenced debate, and rushed to install in the Department of Justice (DOJ) a man who has proven to have a callous disregard for the very rights he is charged with protecting.
“Throughout his long career, Jefferson Sessions has been insensitive to minorities, low-income people, and LGBTQ+ citizens. He has shown bias against immigrants, hostility towards women’s rights, and a troubling a track record of voter suppression. He has expressed, and demonstrated, a general contempt for the very civil rights laws he is now charged with enforcing.
“A ‘Justice Department’ run according to these values would not be worthy of the name. We intend to monitor Mr. Sessions’ agenda and actions very closely, and ensure that the DOJ is not allowed to become a vehicle for rolling back the hard-fought progress of the entire nation. However Mr. Sessions was confirmed, it is time for him now to dedicate himself to enforcing our federal laws and defending the rights of all Americans.
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Project Vote is a national nonpartisan, non-profit organization dedicated to building an electorate that accurately represents the diversity of America’s citizenry. Project Vote takes a leadership role in nationwide voting rights and election administration issues, working through research, litigation, and advocacy to ensure that every eligible citizen can register, vote, and cast a ballot that counts.
For more information and interviews, please contact Michael McDunnah at 202-905-1397.