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As one of two African-American senators gears up to make the unprecedented move of testifying against Donald Trump’s attorney general nominee, Sen. Jeff Sessions, the other one has come out with a strong statement of support for the Alabama senator.
According to CNN, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott — a Republican and the first black senator from the South since Reconstruction — issued a statement Tuesday supporting Sessions’ nomination, saying he was most impressed by “what is in his heart.”
“There are many facts that are absolutely clear. Jeff is committed to upholding the Constitution of the United States,” Scott said in the statement. “He joined multiple desegregation lawsuits while serving as a U.S. Attorney, protecting the civil rights of students seeking equal educational opportunity. He ensured a KKK murderer received the death penalty. He voted for the first black attorney general of the United States, and championed the effort to award Rosa Parks the Congressional Gold Medal.”
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Sessions was denied a federal judgeship in 1986 after it was alleged that he had made racist remarks. However, Scott painted a different picture in his statement.
“After his nomination, I invited Sen. Sessions to Charleston, South Carolina, in December of 2016 to meet with African-American pastors, law enforcement and leaders of color,” Scott said.
“We had what both the attendees and I believe to be a very productive conversation, which gave us all a clearer picture of not only Jeff’s policy positions, but what is in his heart. I have also talked on multiple occasions with leaders from Alabama, closely reviewed both the congressional testimony and news coverage of Sen. Sessions’ hearing in 1986, and studied Jeff’s career as a whole.
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“We may not agree on everything, but you would be hard pressed to find a nominee for any post that any senator is in 100 percent agreement with,” Scott continued. “I have gotten to know Jeff over my four years in the Senate, and have found him to be a consistently fair person. I will continue working for what I believe is in the best interest of my state and my nation, such as criminal justice reform and stopping illegal immigration.”
On Monday, The Hill reported, Sen. Cory Brooker announced that he was making the unprecedented move of testifying against Sessions before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Booker’s testimony would be part of a wider campaign against Sessions, seeking to destroy the Alabama senator based on reports from three decades ago.
“Sen. Sessions’ decades-long record is concerning in a number of ways,” the New Jersey Democrat, who is the upper chamber’s other African-American member, said. “The attorney general is responsible for ensuring the fair administration of justice, and based on his record, I lack confidence that Sen. Sessions can honor this duty.”
Of course, the difference is that Booker is considered a top prospect for the 2020 Democrat presidential nomination; as such, his lack of confidence seems awfully convenient. While Scott is of the same party as Sessions, it seems a lot more likely — looking at the two legislators — that his assessment is based more on experience than expediency.
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Perhaps it’s time the media started giving his experience the same attention it’s giving Booker’s.
H/T Breitbart
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