Transcripts For CSPAN Cory Booker And John Lewis Testify Against Jeff Sessions AG Nomination 20170115

Sentences i want to read, and then i will introduce the panel. We come back this afternoon for our third and final panel. We have done this we have not done this when we held hearings for the past several attorney generals, but Ranking Member feinstein contacted me last week and made a special request for this panel. I am doing my best to conduct this proceeding fairly. We will hear from each witness for five minutes. We agreed that we will not ask any questions of the witness. We will adjourn when we have heard from the last witness. I would like to introduce the witnesses. Mr. Chairman, we know that the attorney general is responsible for protecting the civil and human rights of americans. That is why many are worried as you have seen in these hearings. Senator booker and congressman ands, they bring discussion in important question about the basic rights enshrined in the constitution. How we tried to form a more Perfect Union that continues with every generation. Congressman lewis has been a friend of mine for decades. We have served together. He nearly gave his life for that effort. Lewis to congressman this committee for important conversations about marriage equality, Voting Rights, and other issues. I am sorry we have broken the committee tradition to make these members of congress to wait until the very end to speak. I asis not a delay chairman would have, but it is what we have. Andmmend senator lewis representative cooper for their courage. I commend them for being here. Booker,lleague, senator is from new jersey. I know him well. We all know him. We appreciate you coming over to testify. We will hear from mr. Willy huntley. He is a former assistant u. S. Attorney in the Southern District of alabama who worked under senator sessions when he served as u. S. Attorney there. He has known senator sessions for nearly 30 years. We will hear from a wellknown civil rights leader, whosentative john lewis represents georgias that district. Welcome back to the committee congressman lewis. It is always good to have you here. After representative i work closely on this panel alongside many of you. You know just how deeply motivated i am by the many issues that our next attorney general will heavily influence. Especially the crisis of mass incarceration. I noticed some of my many colleagues are not happy about breaking with Senate Tradition to testify on one of my colleagues. But i believe that in the choice between standing with the senate norms or standing up for what my conscious tells me is best for our country, i will always choose conscious and country. While senator sessions and i have consistently disagreed on it the issues. Exercisedave always Mutual Respect between us. Perhaps the best example of this is the legislation we cosponsored to award the congressional gold medal to those foot soldiers who marched at selma. One of the foot soldiers is standing next to me now. This was a blessing and an honor to me. In 2015, a retired judge, who was white, told me it was those grave marchers on the bridge whoe marchers on the bridge inspired him to seek justice for all in new jersey and begin representing black families looking to integrate into what neighborhoods. Black families that were turned away and denied housing. One of those families was mine. I am sitting here because of the marchers in alabama and volunteer lawyers in new jersey who saw it as their duty to pursue justice and fight discrimination. To stand up for those who have been marginalized. The march for justice in our country still continues. It is still urgent. Forow also of the urgency law and order. I imagine that no sitting in the past 20ed years in high crime neighborhoods as i have. I have seen unimaginable violence on americas streets. I know the tremendous courage of Law Enforcement officers who put their lives on the line every single day to fight crime in america. I want in attorney general who is committed to serving Law Enforcement and securing law and order, but that is not enough. Notica was founded heralding law and order but justice for all. Critical to that is equal justice under the law. Law and order without justice is unattainable. They are inextricably tied together. If there is no justice, there is no peace. The Alabama State troopers on the bridge were seeking law and order. The marchers were seeking justice. Ultimately, they were seeking a greater peace. One of the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement was the civil thets act that made attorney general that only the chief Law Enforcement officer, but also vested in that office the responsibility to pursue civil rights and equal protection for all americans. Senator sessions has not demonstrated a commitment to a central requisite to the job to aggressively pursue the congressional mandate of civil rights and equal rights and justice for all of our citizens. In fact, into numerous times of his career, he has demonstrated hostility towards these convictions, and he has worked to frustrate these ideals. If confirmed, senator sessions will be required to pursue justice for women. His record indicates he will not. Will be expected to defend the equal rights of lesbian, gay, and transgender americans, but his record indicates that he will not. Will be expected to defend Voting Rights, but his record to just he that he wont that he will not. His record indicates that as attorney general he would object to the growing National Bipartisan Movement Towards criminal justice reform. His record indicates that we cannot count on him to support state and National Efforts toward bringing justice to the Justice System. People on both sides of the aisle readily admit that the Justice System as it stands now is biased against the poor, the drug addicted, and the mentally ill, and people of color. Evenecord indicates that the fbi director is speaking out atinst racial bias in color a time when the last two attorney generals have taken steps to fix our broken criminal Justice System. , the Justice Department that he would lead has uncovered systemic abuses in Police Department all over the United States including ferguson andark newark. Senator sessions would not lead this urgently needed change. The next attorney general must bring hope and healing to this country. This demands a more courageous and empatthen than senator sessions record would indicate. Challenges of race in america cannot be addressed if we refuse to confront them. Persistent bias cannot be defended unless we come back them. The art of the moral universe does not naturally curve towards justice, we must end it. If one is to be attorney general, it must be going to continued he hallowed can get tradition in our country of fighting for equal justice for all. America needs an attorney general who is resolute and determined to bend the art. Senator sessions record does not speak to that desire, intention, or will. With all that is in our nation right now, the urgent need for healing and love, i played pray that my panel will join me in denying this nomination. I would like to thank you for this opportunity to testify. Sitting behind me are proud members of the United States congress and the Congressional Black Congress could black caucus. You should not have had to done that. I shouldve recognized them. I knew they were here. Inc. You, sir. Thank you, sir. Huntly . Good afternoon. Huntly, and ilie am an attorney located in alabama. I have been missing law for over 30 years. Practicing law for over 30 years. I graduated from Harvard University where i attended college on a football scholarship. I graduated from auburn in 1980 and i attended law school at Cumberland Law School after that. After i finished law school, i clerkship with a federal judge in montgomery, alabama. After that, i began a tour as an assistant District Attorney in alabama. 1985 to 1987. Om then, my life changed. I got a phone call one day, and my secretary comes into the office to tell me that Jeff Sessions is on the phone. I was sitting there wondering why he was calling me. Ofas well attended aware the allegations that had come from his it to become a federal judge, which made me wonder why he was calling me. I found out that he wants me to become the assistant United States attorney in the district of alabama. This presented an ideal situation. I decided to take advantage of it. The first time i met him was at a dinner in montgomery. That dinner was supposed to last an hour or an hour and a half. We ended up meeting for about three hours. During that time, we discussed a number of topics football, religion, politics, family. We spoke about all of those things. During the course of that meeting with him, i got the feeling more and more that the allegations had been spread through the press are not true. I also was contemplating whether i should make this move, because i thought if i go to mobile i will not know anyone. What if this man turns out to be exactly how he has been portrayed. Fortunately, it did not turn out like that. I was at the u. S. Attorneys office from 1987 to 1991. Me criminal trial cases and civil rights cases. I would supervise all of the civil rights cases that came through the offices. During this time, i would i can recall where we successfully prosecuted a Police Officer charged with excessive use of force. Unfortunately, i made the decision to leave the u. S. Attorneys office in 1991. That was not based on anything that happened to me during my my work in the u. S. Attorneys office. During that time, he provided me with advice, counsel, and a great deal of support. One thing in particular that he waswas my second child born, and there was a knock on the door that morning. In through the door walks Jeff Sessions. After i left the u. S. Attorneys office, jeff became the attorney general of alabama. He asked me to join his staff at that time. I declined to join his staff. He did make me a special assistant attorney general and he put me in charge of handling defense cases with the state of alabama. During this time, jeff became charged with violating the state of alabamas ethics act. It involved a company by the name of tyco. He couldve selected any attorney to represent him. He decided to select me. We had that case, and during the course of it that it was probably the longest case that had ever been held in front of the state ethics committee. At that point, he was fully exonerated of all of the charges involved in the states ethics act. One of the things i can say alwayseff is that he has been the same person that i have known. He has always been available to me, and he has always been there when i needed him. In the time that i have known jeff has he demonstrated any racial insensitivity. I see my time is rapidly winding down. , in my just like to say opinion, Jeff Sessions will enforce and follow the laws of the United States evenhandedly and with justice for all. Jeff sessions will adhere to the Justice Department motto that , for lady justice, Jeff Sessions will defend the rights and protections of all people. Thank you for this opportunity. Thank you. We will now hear from congressman john lewis. Lewis thank for inviting me to testify today. Americans are encouraged by our countrys efforts to create a more inclusive democracy than the. Ast 50 years a beloved community at peace with itself. A clear majority of americans want this to be a clear, fair, just, and open nation. They are afraid that this country is headed in the wrong direction. The concern is that some leaders reject decades of project process progress, and they want to return to a darker path that will deny them the freedoms protected in the constitution. The bill of rights and its amendments. Are the voices i represent today. Iscan pretend that the law blind and evenhanded, but if we are honest with ourselves, we uponthat we are called daily by the people we represent. Those who are committed to equal justice in our society wonder whether senator sessions calls if that order means today what it meant in alabama when i was growing up back then. The rule of law was used to violate the civil rights of the , peoplee dispossessed of color. Alabama notn rural very far from where senator sessions was raised. There was no way to escape or deny the chokehold of discrimination and racial hate that surrounded us. That saidsigns white men and black men. Ive tasted the bitter fruit of segregation and discrimination. If a black person did not cross the street when a white person was walking down the same looked at a he white person directly in the eyes, he could be arrested. Forces of law and order in youama were so strong that take a stand against this injustice meant we had to sacrifice be willing to sacrifice our lives for our cause. Often, the only way we could law on the that a books violated a higher law was like putting our bodies on the line and showing the world the unholy price we had to pay with dignity and respect. It took massive, well organized, efforts for the Voting Rights act to become law. Criticism in its laws to move towards a greater sense of equality in america. In,ad to sit in, stand march. , a group 50 years ago of unarmed citizens black and gathered on march 7, 1965 selma to show that we wanted to participate in the democratic process. We were beaten, tear gassed, left bloody. Some of us were left unconscious. Beaten. Us were left some of us almost died on that bridge. And theident responded, Voting Rights act was passed. From a distance, we had made progress, but we are not there yet. There are forces that want to take us back to another place. We do not want to go back. We want to move forward. Of the march on washington often said, may our allfathers and foremothers came to this country on different ships, but we are all in the same boat now. It is not matter how senator , how he may smile speak to you, that we need someone who is going to stand up people that for the need help. For the people that have been discriminated against. It does not matter if they are black or white, asian american, or native american, whether they are straight or gay, muslim, christian, jews we all live in the same house. An american house. We need an attorney general that will look out for all of us and not just for some of us. I have run out of time. Thank you for giving me a chance to testify. Thank you, congressman lewis. I now go to mr. Sawyer. It is an honor for me to be here. Thank you for your time. Enforcementin law since 1976. I have served in local Police Departments for 11 years. I have served in the United States Marshals Service for eight and a half years. I have served in the Attorney Generals Office for about a year and a half. I first met Jeff Sessions when he was attorney in alabama in the Southern District. Time. Prosecuted at that jeff prosecuted a man for the abduction and murder of a black teenager. Sessions jeff nomination to attorney general i had the privilege of serving for him as chief investigator. The challenges included a budget crisis and a one third reduction of staff. Came with the budget crisis and the reduction of staff come up there were several staff, there were several individuals in the office that had to seek implement elsewhere. Who was aboutman a year and a half away from retirement. He allowed him to do that. Jeff sessions do not have to do that. He retained me. He did not have to do that. Election, we were charged with the possibilities that the response charged with the responsibilities of a lot of crimes in the work of various cases that included violent crimes, voter fraud, and criminal investigations. As i reflect on our work, there was never a time when any of cases was investigated with any political agenda or motive. The utmost respect and integrity was implement it with all individuals involved. Service or 10 reputation and respect among his colleagues. In appreciation for his willingness to do what was right. When Jeff Sessions got to the , as attorney general, he has upheld the hayesce of klansmen henry. When he became u. S. Senator, he became he helped me become appointed the United States marshals of alabama. He did not have to do that, but he did. I have known Jeff Sessions for 20 years. He is a good and decent man. He believes in law and order for all people. ,ll of the people in alabama because of the colleagues to have surrounded him, the things done for laws enforcement in alabama it is all great. I do not have any doubts that he as attorneyrve general. I did not learn these things from any website. I know him as the man. The man that i know is a decent, honest, respectful man who will put all of his life into public service. He has done that. When we talk about this criminal Justice System, we enforce the laws. We do it, because we have a love for the laws. Peoplessions loves the who do the enforcement side of it. He respects the citizens. He believes they deserve a good and honest person. He will do all that he can to make sure that everyone is treated fairly under the law. His decently decency and honesty as a man before itself. He is the type of individual i support for the United States Attorney Generals Office because of his history with me as a person, and also the things i have seen in him over the years as Jeff Sessions. It is hard to be a public servant. I was in Law Enforcement were over 30 years. It is a tough job. We do not violate the laws. We do not go out there and do things that would cause ourselves to be brought into the system. Im not saying everyone is the same, but i believe that he will take hold of the Justice System, the Justice Department, and he will be fair and honest for every person. He will treat everyone with honesty and respect. My time is up. Thank you for listening. Thank you, mr. Sawyer. Richmond. Essman [inaudible] wait just a minute, congressman. [inaudible] andet me thank the chairman Ranking Member to allow me to testify. [inaudible] i would ask you to hold. You will not lose any time. [inaudible] proceed. Thank the chairman and the panel for allowing me to testify. I know that you do not take this responsibility lightly. Before i jump into my testimony, i want to address two issues. First, i want to express my concerns about being made to testify at the very end of the witness panels. To have a senator, house member, legendiving civil rights testify at the end of all this is the equivalent of being made to go to the back of the bus. It is a heady strategy petty strategy. On equality speaks for itself. I do not mind being last. But to have a Living Legend like john lewis handled in such a fashion is beyond the pale. Me, treatment is noted by the members of the congressional black caucus, and the millions of americans we represent. Further him up issue of senator onsions record further, the issue of senator sessions record, i say the following history is full of efforts by those who legitimize the suppression of black americans by recruiting other blacks to bring about trumped up charges against those who are engaged in power meant that empowerment engaged in empowerment activities. They were used several years ago against mr. And mrs. Albert turner who were discussed by this committee yesterday. Independenceon of sets forth the idea of universal equality that sets rests at the heart of our democracy. It is the 14th amendment to our constitution and the equal protection clause that has brought us closer to a more Perfect Union. All caps officials have a cabinetbility officials have a responsibility to protect the interests of all American People. However, there is no office with a duty is greater than the attorney general. In my capacity as chair of the congressional black caucus, i urge you to reject senator sessions nomination. Throughout our history, attorney generals have vindicated the rights of the most vulnerable in our society. The first attorney general to lead the doj prosecuted the kkk for its widespread use of violence to stop the black vote. The black voting turnout in 1872 was unprejudiced was unprecedented in our nations history. Former slaves were allowed to participate in our democratic process. Simply put, senator sessions has advanced in agenda that will do great harm to africanamerican citizens and communities. For this reason, we believe he should be disqualified. He is demonstrated a total disregard for the equal application of justice in the application of the law on africanamericans. Supports a system of mass incarceration that is disproportionately targeting africanamerican citizens, and it has devastated africanamerican communities. He opposed common sense, bipartisan criminal justice reform. Jeff sessions cannot be relied upon to enforce the Voting Rights act. , heis decades long career has proven himself unfit to serve in the role as attorney general. I would not have the opportunity to testify today if not for men like john lewis who was beaten within an inch of his life in his pursuit of the right to vote for african americans. It is a shame that he must sit here and relitigate this 50 years later. We sit here at the progeny of men and women who were bought and sold, beaten and lynched. We were treated like cattle, three this of a human being. 5s of a human being. ,e were able to overcome because of men who sat where you sit. Askingbefore you today you to do the same. You all must face a choice. Become a just or be complicit courageous or be complicit. If you confirm general sessions, you take responsibility for anything he may do or not do in office. He has no track record for supporting minorities despite what you may have heard today. He is not a champion for civil rights and equality. Characterizations and revisionist history are not the same things as facts. In aton the record numerous issues. Let us think about this logically. If you were a champion for civil rights, wouldnt the Civil Rights Community support his nomination instead of speaking in one voice against his nomination . Cast to confirm his nomination will be marked as a coconspirator in the effort to move our country back to a darker period in our nations history. I ask you all, where do you stand . It is clear where senator sessions stance. Thislore you all to weigh gilly. N as you consider the nomination. His record speaks for itself, and i would urge you not to confirm senator sessions as attorney general for the United States. Thank you, mr. Chairman for allowing me to go over. I now call on mr. Smith. I asked that my written statement be made part of the record. It will be. That is also true of senator booker and anyone else who did not hit their entire statement put in the record should record. It is an honor for me to be here today to support senator Jeff Sessions the nomination of attorney general. He will do an outstanding job. Yesterday, people got to witness in his testimony and and of of highesta man integrity i remember one hearing. Where i was passing senator sessions note after note to make sure he was prepared. Any did not speak on the topic i hated him, i would hand him a note with another topic. He finally decided to speak. As he did in his testimony yesterday, he crushed it. Andas not ignoring my notes he was systematically thinking about how to put them all together into one speech. A number of my colleagues were amazed by his speech. They asked me afterward what i said to him in my notes. I told them that i had handed him a blank sheet of paper and make me look good. That is what he did. Yesterday, he proved to the American People that he understands the law, will disperse it equally, and he made a bunch of staffers look at. A lot has been said about senator sessions character. We have seen people who have never met him claim to know him and his heart. We have seen members of this body and a member of the house whoepresentatives just now have worked with sen. Sessions praised him for his work. They have now turned to attack him. This should not be. The reason we did not see this yesterday was because members of this committee note senator sessions know sen. Sessions know him to be a conservative, but you know he is strong and honest. If you disagree with him on his lyrical views, then let us have a conversation about that. Let us not do it on 30 years of allegations that have been disproven. There is something wrong in criticizing him about the progress he has made in legislation against crack cocaine proliferation, and then praisingnd and him for the progress he has made in legislation against crack cocaine proliferation, and then turning around and criticizing him about his progress on civil rights. I doubt anyone has spent 30 minutes talking to senator sessions. This process should be about facts and not political allegations. Every allegation and witness from 30 years ago has been discredited. Members of the media should move on. Senator sessions testified yesterday that he would enforce the laws whether he agreed with them or not. That is the role of attorney general. Not to embrace every point of view in the shifting political winds. If you come before senator sessions, you will receive equal treatment. How do i know this . I know Jeff Sessions. Im not testifying as someone who met him yesterday. I know his family. I have dined at his house, and we had eaten Johnny Rockets burgers together. I have traveled across alabama with him. I have watched him order a heath blizzard at dairy queen. I have written speeches for him. I have made speeches on his behalf. I have been in every political situation with him. He is unquestionably qualified for the job. He is a good, christian man, and he is a good family man. He has dedicated his life to public service. In the course of that, he has fought for the disenfranchised. He fought for citizen reform. The only did he fight for it, he accomplished it. He fought for civil rights. He prosecuted members of the ku klux klan. He has fought for the liberty of all americans regardless of the color of their skin or personal beliefs. This is the way it should be. After 20 years of knowing senator sessions, i have not seen the slightest evidence of racism, because it does not exist. I know a racist when i see one, and i have seen more than one, and senator sessions is not one. The Legal Profession is better for senator sessions service. This country at the end of his term will be better for his service. In every season, Jeff Sessions has been measured, courteous, and kind. He has treated me and everyone with care. Y and he is not shown favoritism at any point. This is the kind of attorney general our nation needs. I applaud his selection. I look forward to swift confirmation. The record will stay open until tuesday. I think all of you for your testimony. The hearing is adjourned. [inaudible] from the sunday news programs, kentucky senator rand paul made some comments to the Jeff Sessions confirmation hearing. We would hear from the we will hear those now. In Jeff Sessions nomination hearings, there were three africanamerican legislators, cory booker, john lewis, and i think senator richmond came forward. They decided to testify against Jeff Sessions. There are also three africanamericans who have worked with him and have known him for years who spoke in his favor. When things involved race, they become very sensitive. None of us want to be considered racially insensitive. It is a very important subject. I think we should not ignore that people are partisan. John lewis is partisan. Ive great deal of respect for him, but he is partisan and i disagree with him on issues. Disagreebe able to with him and have it not come back to that i have no appreciation for a civil rights icon. That is the part that i think is a little unfair should unfair. Was done some things over his life, and would try to work this out. That the president elect would reach out to him and try to pursue some of the policies that senator lewis has fought and gone to jail for over his remarkable life. That would be the kind of thing that would send a message to the American People that we are not only prepared to work together, but that it would also send a message to the russians that we are united. That their efforts against us will fail. Just to be clear, present obama president obama believes that president elect donald trump is legitimate. He does believe he is the freely elected president , that he will be inaugurated on friday, and that he will come into office hopefully strengthen eye this condition that hopefully hopefully strengthened during this transition we have accomplished. It was deeply disappointing to me to hear senator lewiss ments and that he would not attend the inauguration. I hope he will rethink both of his statements. This is a time when we are facing issues at home and abroad. We would greatly benefit if we set aside these ageless assertions, and that we look for ways to come together. The president elect in a tweet last night invited congressman lewis to work with us to bring our prosperity and better schools to the cities in our country. Think what i think present elect trump has to understand is that, now that he has the opportunity to do something about National Security, he is going to have tremendous responsibility to make sure that u. S. National security interests are protected and advance. Im hoping that he has some very good people he has pulled. Ogether i think they are the ones that are going to be able to give him some counsel about what he needs to do and not be very spontaneous in his words and actions. Spontaneity is not something that protects National Security interests. So, when he speaks and reacts, needs to understand the