Schumer Announces Opposition to Senator Sessions for Attorney General

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today released the below statement in opposition of confirming Senator Jeff Sessions as Attorney General:

“Senator Jeff Sessions is a colleague and a friend. We have worked closely together on a number of different issues, particularly trade, over our years of service in the Senate together.

“The Attorney General of the United States has a sacred obligation to enforce our laws and uphold the constitution. The law gives a voice to the voiceless, it protects the oppressed from the powerful, and it defends the rights of all people, regardless of gender, sexuality, or religion. The Attorney General must wake up every single day ensuring the rights of all Americans: immigrants, minorities, young and old, gay and straight, disabled and not are protected. Every right - freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the freedom to vote, or any other enshrined in our Constitution or the law – must be protected for every American.

“The Attorney General is also tasked with ensuring that the President and the Administration follow the law, pursuing policies that adhere to American values and ideals, and serving as a check to ensure the President is not above the law. If the President violates the law, it is incumbent on the Attorney General to hold him or her accountable.

“After reviewing his record and giving careful consideration to his answers during the hearing, I am not confident in Senator Sessions’ ability to be a defender of the rights of all Americans, or to serve as an independent check on the incoming administration. I am also deeply concerned by his views on immigration, which I saw firsthand during the push for comprehensive immigration reform. For those reasons, I will oppose his nomination to serve as the next Attorney General.”

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