Posted on 05/12/2017 6:32:06 PM PDT by Kaslin
WASHINGTON -- Attorney General Jeff Sessions' new memo for federal prosecutors to pursue harsher mandatory minimum sentences drew a quick rebuke from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who accused the administration of underscoring "injustice" against minority communities.
"It is a core principle that prosecutors should charge and pursue the most serious, readily provable offense. This policy affirms our responsibility to enforce the law, is moral and just, and produces consistency. This policy fully utilizes the tools Congress has given us. By definition, the most serious offenses are those that carry the most substantial guidelines sentence, including mandatory minimum sentences," states the memo in part.
"There will be circumstances in which good judgment would lead a prosecutor to conclude that a strict application of the above charging policy is not warranted. In that case, prosecutors should carefully consider whether an exception may be justified. Consistent with longstanding Department of Justice policy, any decision to vary from the policy must be approved by a United States Attorney or Assistant Attorney General, or a supervisor designated by the United States Attorney or Assistant Attorney General, and the reasons must be documented in the file."
In a morning press conference, Sessions said prosecutors "deserve to be unhandcuffed and not micromanaged from Washington -- rather, they must be permitted to apply the law to the facts of each investigation."
"Going forward, I have empowered our prosecutors to charge and pursue the most serious offense, as I believe the law requires -- most serious readily provable offense. It means that we're going to meet our responsibility to enforce the law with judgment and fairness. It is simply the right and moral thing to do," he said.
"But it is important to note that unlike previous charging memoranda, I have given our prosecutors discretion to avoid sentences that would result in an injustice."
The attorney general added that "we know that drugs and crime go hand in hand. They just do. The facts prove that so."
"We're returning to the enforcement of the laws as passed by Congress. Plain and simple, if you are a drug trafficker, we will not look the other way. We will not be willfully blind to your misconduct," he said. "We are talking about, for example, a kilogram of heroin -- that's 10,000 doses of heroin on the streets. Five kilograms of cocaine, 10,000 kilograms of marijuana. These are not low-level drug offenders we in the federal courts are focusing on. These are drug dealers, and you drug dealers are going to prison."
Sessions did not take any questions from the media.
Paul, a longtime advocate for criminal justice reform in Congress, released a statement noting that mandatory minimum sentences "have unfairly and disproportionately incarcerated too many minorities for too long."
“Attorney General Sessions’ new policy will accentuate that injustice," the senator said. "Instead, we should treat our nation’s drug epidemic as a health crisis and less as a ‘lock 'em up and throw away the key’ problem.”
Former Attorney General Eric Holder issued a statement slamming Sessions' announcement: "The policy announced today is not tough on crime. It is dumb on crime."
"It is an ideologically motivated, cookie-cutter approach that has only been proven to generate unfairly long sentences that are often applied indiscriminately and do little to achieve long-term public safety," Holder added.
“Fast and Furious” Holder!!! Now, his word is really worth listening to, ya think? Liar, Liar, pants on fire.
He who cursed the nation with the Ferguson Effect is in no position to criticize law enforcement.
Truly, the real brainlessness is when a former attorney general thinks the mission of that office is politics over law and order.
Sessions’ Directive to Throw the Book at Suspects Called ‘Dumb on Crime’ by Holder!
If Holder, Lynch or Obozo are agains Session’s directive, they are on target again!
Sorry Rand. You can kiss their asses all day long and those minorities still won’t like you.
Gun for criminals Eric Holder mocking an honest attorney general. Craaaazy! He is truly fast and furious Eric.
This from a guy who gave GUNS to GANG BANGERS in Mexico who ended up MURDERING Brian Terry..STFU Holder, another jackass who belongs in jail
This is a stealth way to deport the Dreamers. Good deal.
Oh please. Take a look at their rap sheets, and you'll find multiple offenses over years and years. Most of them have been at it since they were young teens. They've been given probation repeatedly, had charges dropped, sentenced to short terms, only to commit the same crimes over and over again. They aren't sentenced "unfairly." If anything, they've been given new chances repeatedly, but have failed to change their criminal behavior. Lock them up...and take Hillary with them.
I had the same thought-—glad you affirmed my suspicions
He who cursed the nation with the Ferguson Effect is in no position to criticize law enforcement.
They get arrested for a “minor” drug crime, now they are by definition criminals & can be deported without the “humanitarian” hoopla.
Law meet Order.
It is not the AG’s Job to make Law, that is the Job of the Legislature.
Eric Holder is some kind of authority on “dumb on crime”.
It was all for the ‘hood, doncha know.
"A new, thoroughly-documented report from the House Financial Services Committee supports that theory. It recounts how career prosecutors in 2012 wanted to criminally charge the global bank HSBC for facilitating money laundering for Mexican drug lords and terrorist groups. But Holder said no."
Comey was on HSBC’s board: http://21stcenturywire.com/2016/07/13/fbi-director-comey-board-member-of-clinton-foundation-connected-bank-hsbc/
More than likely Holder got the word from a leaker inside DOJ that indictments were coming against him so he threw this slam out so that he can say any indictment against him is payback for this foolish statement.
Senator Paul has the power to introduce legislation to change the law. I recommend that he redirect his energy to affect a change in the law and SHUT HIS PIE-HOLE until he has a bill in the hopper to discuss. Thank you.
Like his father Wrong Paul, Rand moves to lock his positions in with the hard left when it matters.
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