Posted on 01/10/2017 8:09:46 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Sen. Jeff Sessions began the defense of his nomination for Donald Trump's attorney general by emphasizing a theme of enforcing law and order and strongly pushed back against allegations of racism in his long career.
Sessions also diverged from his prepared remarks to address "head on" the very allegations that helped sink his nomination for a judgeship in 1986.
"I abhor the Klan and its hateful ideology," Sessions said. "I never declared the NAACP was un-American." Sessions also pledged to recuse himself from all investigations involving Hillary Clinton based on inflammatory comments he made during a "contentious" campaign season, and defended his views of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling on abortion.
"I've given that thought, I believe the proper thing for me to do would be to recuse myself from questions involving those kinds of investigations involving Secretary Clinton that were raised during the campaign and could be otherwise connected to it," Sessions said, upon questioning by Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley.
"I believe that would be best for the country because we can never have a political dispute turn into a criminal dispute," Sessions said.
Sessions said he would respect the 1973 Supreme Court decision allowing abortion and the more recent Supreme Court decision allowing same-sex marriage -- even if he doesn't agree with the court's decisions.
"I believe it violated the Constitution," Sessions said in response to a question from Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein about whether he stands by his past statements calling Roe a "colossal" mistake.
"It is the law of the land, it has been settled for some time. ... I will respect it and follow it," Sessions said.
Likewise, Sessions said same-sex marriage is settled.
"The Supreme Court has ruled on that, the dissents dissented vigorously, but it was 5-4
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
It’s rhetorical but why is it only the right that has to recuse themselves from “conflicts.” There have been multiple blatant conflicts in the last 8 years and zero recusals. I would love it if it was just lip service & immediately after confirmation a massive sweeping investigation of shrillery & her bs charitable foundation was the first priority.
Do Dems ask anything that is not about LGBT?
Go back to bed.
We are a nation of laws.
Rudyard didn’t want it.
“...recuse myself from questions involving those kinds of investigations involving Secretary Clinton that were raised during the campaign and could be otherwise connected to it...
I believe that would be best for the country because we can never have a political dispute turn into a criminal dispute,” Sessions said.
OK now, recusing from —questions— involving investigations into illary’s shenanigans isn’t the same as recusing from investigation itself.
And there already —was— a criminal issue before it was a pitical one; there was an investigation going on for a year, into the klinton foundation.
Plus it doesn’t address all the state investigations by the local FBI offices.
Couple fools.
What on earth were they trying to shout? Almost thought it was “no Moslems in the USA” in response to the questioning about Guantanamo. But I doubt it was that logical!
pitical
Political
I think they were shouting about closing down GITMO.
Yes, but were they saying “no fences in the USA” or “no Moslems in the USA” or whatever WRT Gitmo.
“I don’t like those answers at all, especially the one on gay marriage. How can you consider an issue to be “settled” by a 5-4 decision that overturns hundreds of years years of almost worldwide consensus? And, regarding Roe v. Wade, why should we honor a “colossal mistake”? Aren’t “colossal mistakes” the sorts of things that you try to fix?”
Very good questions - I’m with you on this.
“You are referring to decisions made by the SCOTUS, 1/3 of our branched of government. They declared both the law.
Disagree or not. That’s how checks and balances work, good or bad.”
Not quite correct, Obozo. The legislative branch, i.e., Congress, holds the final cards, per the Constitution. The legislative branch can overrule the Supremes or the Executive Branch if they so choose, especially when the ‘law’ is based on flawed legal arguments.
We the People are the final arbiter. It’s time we used some muscle, as the Founders allowed for.
Boo hoo on the illegals from Dick Turban.
When are conservatives going to turn the tables on the illegal-lovers and ask them when are we going to start worrying about our own Americans, and when are they going to start making the process easier for LEGAL immigrants?
These gd illegals are getting everything handed to them while legals have to run the gauntlet and wait for everything.
Yes. I like Senator Sessions’ answers in this hearing. It is very obvious that he sees the clear separation of powers between the legislative branch and the executive branch—and the difference between the ability to create laws and responsibility of the Justice Department to enforce those laws (and not make them). The Democrats asking questions about which laws he will enforce and what laws Sessions will change are showing their extreme ignorance. THEY ARE THE ONES of govern using activist judges and a partisan Attorney General’s office!
He is a principled man, and is doing so well in this hearing because of that. When you are clear why you believe in something and have lived your life by those principles, your actions and beliefs are not hard to defend.
And abortion.
Sessions will sail through this and be a great AG.
AMEN to that. What a nightmare!
Agree.
The current situation requires that we play to win ONLY. Playing not to lose is a fool’s errand - we’ve gone through this many times already and we know the outcome.
Hillary’s in deep doo doo...with Sessions vowing not to be personally involved it will go to a special prosecutor or a federal grand jury.
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