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'Sessions Watch' Begins as Chorus Promises to Hold AG Accountable
ACLU vows to sue if Jeff Sessions violates the US Constitution
Feb 09, 2017
Setting the stage for bitter battles over civil, immigrant, LGBTQ, and women's rights during the Trump administration, the Senate confirmed Jeff Sessions as attorney general on Wednesday evening.
The vote was 52-47 (roll call here), with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) breaking with his party to vote in Sessions' favor and the nominee himself, who formerly represented Alabama, abstaining.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) immediately vowed to sue if Sessions, who will now head the Department of Justice, violates the U.S. Constitution.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), whose silenced testimony on the nominee led to a firestorm of resistance on Wednesday, also pledged to hold Sessions--and the Republicans who voted for him--accountable:
Following the vote, pro-democracy group Common Cause launched "Sessions Watch," a grassroots effort "to hold Sessions' feet to the civil liberties and voting rights fire." Citizens can sign up "to receive immediate notice of the latest threats posed by the new attorney general and updates and bulletins on actions you can take."
"The principle of equal justice under the law is now undermined by the confirmation of Jeff Sessions as Attorney General," said Common Cause president Karen Hobart Flynn. "The actions of the Justice department under Sessions' leadership will require careful monitoring based on his extensive record dating back decades but continuing right up to the present moment through his role in helping drive the policy priorities of the [Donald] Trump White House. At Common Cause, we will be keeping a close eye on the Justice Department to hold it accountable to the American people it is intended to serve."
Similarly, the NAACP--whose president, along with several others, was arrested twice last month protesting Sessions--vowed to "call upon members of Congress and the committees over the Justice Department to ensure that the senator does what he is supposed to do to protect the vote and to end voter suppression and police brutality."
Follow the resistance under the hashtag #SessionsWatch:
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This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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Deirdre Fulton
Deirdre Fulton is a former Common Dreams senior editor and staff writer. Previously she worked as an editor and writer for the Portland Phoenix and the Boston Phoenix, where she was honored by the New England Press Association and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. A Boston University graduate, Deirdre is a co-founder of the Maine-based Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective and the PortFringe theater festival. She writes young adult fiction in her spare time.
civil rightscommon causeelizabeth warrenhuman rights campaignimmigrationjeff sessionslgbtqnaacppeople powerwomen
Setting the stage for bitter battles over civil, immigrant, LGBTQ, and women's rights during the Trump administration, the Senate confirmed Jeff Sessions as attorney general on Wednesday evening.
The vote was 52-47 (roll call here), with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) breaking with his party to vote in Sessions' favor and the nominee himself, who formerly represented Alabama, abstaining.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) immediately vowed to sue if Sessions, who will now head the Department of Justice, violates the U.S. Constitution.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), whose silenced testimony on the nominee led to a firestorm of resistance on Wednesday, also pledged to hold Sessions--and the Republicans who voted for him--accountable:
Following the vote, pro-democracy group Common Cause launched "Sessions Watch," a grassroots effort "to hold Sessions' feet to the civil liberties and voting rights fire." Citizens can sign up "to receive immediate notice of the latest threats posed by the new attorney general and updates and bulletins on actions you can take."
"The principle of equal justice under the law is now undermined by the confirmation of Jeff Sessions as Attorney General," said Common Cause president Karen Hobart Flynn. "The actions of the Justice department under Sessions' leadership will require careful monitoring based on his extensive record dating back decades but continuing right up to the present moment through his role in helping drive the policy priorities of the [Donald] Trump White House. At Common Cause, we will be keeping a close eye on the Justice Department to hold it accountable to the American people it is intended to serve."
Similarly, the NAACP--whose president, along with several others, was arrested twice last month protesting Sessions--vowed to "call upon members of Congress and the committees over the Justice Department to ensure that the senator does what he is supposed to do to protect the vote and to end voter suppression and police brutality."
Follow the resistance under the hashtag #SessionsWatch:
Deirdre Fulton
Deirdre Fulton is a former Common Dreams senior editor and staff writer. Previously she worked as an editor and writer for the Portland Phoenix and the Boston Phoenix, where she was honored by the New England Press Association and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. A Boston University graduate, Deirdre is a co-founder of the Maine-based Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective and the PortFringe theater festival. She writes young adult fiction in her spare time.
Setting the stage for bitter battles over civil, immigrant, LGBTQ, and women's rights during the Trump administration, the Senate confirmed Jeff Sessions as attorney general on Wednesday evening.
The vote was 52-47 (roll call here), with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) breaking with his party to vote in Sessions' favor and the nominee himself, who formerly represented Alabama, abstaining.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) immediately vowed to sue if Sessions, who will now head the Department of Justice, violates the U.S. Constitution.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), whose silenced testimony on the nominee led to a firestorm of resistance on Wednesday, also pledged to hold Sessions--and the Republicans who voted for him--accountable:
Following the vote, pro-democracy group Common Cause launched "Sessions Watch," a grassroots effort "to hold Sessions' feet to the civil liberties and voting rights fire." Citizens can sign up "to receive immediate notice of the latest threats posed by the new attorney general and updates and bulletins on actions you can take."
"The principle of equal justice under the law is now undermined by the confirmation of Jeff Sessions as Attorney General," said Common Cause president Karen Hobart Flynn. "The actions of the Justice department under Sessions' leadership will require careful monitoring based on his extensive record dating back decades but continuing right up to the present moment through his role in helping drive the policy priorities of the [Donald] Trump White House. At Common Cause, we will be keeping a close eye on the Justice Department to hold it accountable to the American people it is intended to serve."
Similarly, the NAACP--whose president, along with several others, was arrested twice last month protesting Sessions--vowed to "call upon members of Congress and the committees over the Justice Department to ensure that the senator does what he is supposed to do to protect the vote and to end voter suppression and police brutality."
Follow the resistance under the hashtag #SessionsWatch:
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