
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) sits for his nomination hearings on Tuesday, January 10, 2017. (Screenshot)
To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) sits for his nomination hearings on Tuesday, January 10, 2017. (Screenshot)
As confirmation hearings got underway Tuesday for Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), President-elect Donald Trump's pick for attorney general, widespread protests continued throughout the country, on social media, and within the chambers of Capitol Hill.
Tweets about stopsessions |
CODEPINK protesters and other activists were escorted from the proceedings after disrupting the hearings, chanting, "No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA," and hoisting signs that read, "End Racism, Stop Sessions" and "Support LGBTQ, Stop Sessions," among other slogans.
On social media, opponents tracked actions and posted their own messages of protest under the hashtag #StopSessions.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) read off a list of the Alabama lawmaker's anti-civil rights, anti-immigrant, and anti-LGBTQ record, stating, "Ultimately, we must ask: Can Senator Sessions be attorney general for all people?"
For many, the answer is unequivocally no.
On Monday, a coalition of interfaith clergy and moral leaders published a letter in The Nation urging U.S. Congress to reject Sessions's nomination, also highlighting his historic attacks on voting rights, his promotion of xenophobia and bigotry, and his record of voting against equal rights for women. "Not only in the distant past but also in the present day, Senator Sessions's record reveals his consistent support for ideological extremism, racist and classist policies, and the writing of discrimination into law," the letter states.
The letter was the latest salvo in a sustained campaign of resistance. Also Monday, hundreds of protesters, led by the renowned faith leader and NAACP North Carolina official Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, assembled in Washington, D.C. to voice their opposition to the "moral crisis" of Trump's presidency and Sessions's nomination.
" Donald Trump and Jeff Sessions have backing from groups that like to call themselves white evangelicals," Barber, one of the principle organizers of the weekly Moral Monday rallies that have attracted thousands of activists in North Carolina, told the crowd. "Well, I know a lot of white evangelicals. ... Those who have chosen to get behind the race-driven, class-driven agenda of Trump and his pick--namely, white evangelicals--are engaging in theological malpractice and heresy. ... It is a form of heresy to attempt to use faith to endorse hate and discrimination and injustice."
Barber was joined by the well-known Imam Ali Siddiqui, who told the crowd, "Resist, resist, resist," and Rabbi Jason Kimelman-Block, director of Bend the Arc Jewish Action, who said, "The role of the attorney general requires a demonstrated commitment to providing equal protection under the law. Jeff Sessions unequivocally fails that test."
The opposition has also grown to include members of Congress. Last week, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) became the first senator to confirm he would vote against Sessions. On Monday, Slatereported that Sen. Corey Booker (D-N.J.) would testify against him during the hearings--marking the first time that a sitting senator would argue against a colleague's nomination to a cabinet post.
"I do not take lightly the decision to testify against a Senate colleague. But the immense powers of the attorney general combined with the deeply troubling views of this nominee is a call to conscience," Booker said in a statement Monday. "The Attorney General is responsible for ensuring the fair administration of justice, and based on his record, I lack confidence that Senator Sessions can honor this duty."
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
As confirmation hearings got underway Tuesday for Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), President-elect Donald Trump's pick for attorney general, widespread protests continued throughout the country, on social media, and within the chambers of Capitol Hill.
Tweets about stopsessions |
CODEPINK protesters and other activists were escorted from the proceedings after disrupting the hearings, chanting, "No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA," and hoisting signs that read, "End Racism, Stop Sessions" and "Support LGBTQ, Stop Sessions," among other slogans.
On social media, opponents tracked actions and posted their own messages of protest under the hashtag #StopSessions.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) read off a list of the Alabama lawmaker's anti-civil rights, anti-immigrant, and anti-LGBTQ record, stating, "Ultimately, we must ask: Can Senator Sessions be attorney general for all people?"
For many, the answer is unequivocally no.
On Monday, a coalition of interfaith clergy and moral leaders published a letter in The Nation urging U.S. Congress to reject Sessions's nomination, also highlighting his historic attacks on voting rights, his promotion of xenophobia and bigotry, and his record of voting against equal rights for women. "Not only in the distant past but also in the present day, Senator Sessions's record reveals his consistent support for ideological extremism, racist and classist policies, and the writing of discrimination into law," the letter states.
The letter was the latest salvo in a sustained campaign of resistance. Also Monday, hundreds of protesters, led by the renowned faith leader and NAACP North Carolina official Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, assembled in Washington, D.C. to voice their opposition to the "moral crisis" of Trump's presidency and Sessions's nomination.
" Donald Trump and Jeff Sessions have backing from groups that like to call themselves white evangelicals," Barber, one of the principle organizers of the weekly Moral Monday rallies that have attracted thousands of activists in North Carolina, told the crowd. "Well, I know a lot of white evangelicals. ... Those who have chosen to get behind the race-driven, class-driven agenda of Trump and his pick--namely, white evangelicals--are engaging in theological malpractice and heresy. ... It is a form of heresy to attempt to use faith to endorse hate and discrimination and injustice."
Barber was joined by the well-known Imam Ali Siddiqui, who told the crowd, "Resist, resist, resist," and Rabbi Jason Kimelman-Block, director of Bend the Arc Jewish Action, who said, "The role of the attorney general requires a demonstrated commitment to providing equal protection under the law. Jeff Sessions unequivocally fails that test."
The opposition has also grown to include members of Congress. Last week, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) became the first senator to confirm he would vote against Sessions. On Monday, Slatereported that Sen. Corey Booker (D-N.J.) would testify against him during the hearings--marking the first time that a sitting senator would argue against a colleague's nomination to a cabinet post.
"I do not take lightly the decision to testify against a Senate colleague. But the immense powers of the attorney general combined with the deeply troubling views of this nominee is a call to conscience," Booker said in a statement Monday. "The Attorney General is responsible for ensuring the fair administration of justice, and based on his record, I lack confidence that Senator Sessions can honor this duty."
As confirmation hearings got underway Tuesday for Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), President-elect Donald Trump's pick for attorney general, widespread protests continued throughout the country, on social media, and within the chambers of Capitol Hill.
Tweets about stopsessions |
CODEPINK protesters and other activists were escorted from the proceedings after disrupting the hearings, chanting, "No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA," and hoisting signs that read, "End Racism, Stop Sessions" and "Support LGBTQ, Stop Sessions," among other slogans.
On social media, opponents tracked actions and posted their own messages of protest under the hashtag #StopSessions.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) read off a list of the Alabama lawmaker's anti-civil rights, anti-immigrant, and anti-LGBTQ record, stating, "Ultimately, we must ask: Can Senator Sessions be attorney general for all people?"
For many, the answer is unequivocally no.
On Monday, a coalition of interfaith clergy and moral leaders published a letter in The Nation urging U.S. Congress to reject Sessions's nomination, also highlighting his historic attacks on voting rights, his promotion of xenophobia and bigotry, and his record of voting against equal rights for women. "Not only in the distant past but also in the present day, Senator Sessions's record reveals his consistent support for ideological extremism, racist and classist policies, and the writing of discrimination into law," the letter states.
The letter was the latest salvo in a sustained campaign of resistance. Also Monday, hundreds of protesters, led by the renowned faith leader and NAACP North Carolina official Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, assembled in Washington, D.C. to voice their opposition to the "moral crisis" of Trump's presidency and Sessions's nomination.
" Donald Trump and Jeff Sessions have backing from groups that like to call themselves white evangelicals," Barber, one of the principle organizers of the weekly Moral Monday rallies that have attracted thousands of activists in North Carolina, told the crowd. "Well, I know a lot of white evangelicals. ... Those who have chosen to get behind the race-driven, class-driven agenda of Trump and his pick--namely, white evangelicals--are engaging in theological malpractice and heresy. ... It is a form of heresy to attempt to use faith to endorse hate and discrimination and injustice."
Barber was joined by the well-known Imam Ali Siddiqui, who told the crowd, "Resist, resist, resist," and Rabbi Jason Kimelman-Block, director of Bend the Arc Jewish Action, who said, "The role of the attorney general requires a demonstrated commitment to providing equal protection under the law. Jeff Sessions unequivocally fails that test."
The opposition has also grown to include members of Congress. Last week, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) became the first senator to confirm he would vote against Sessions. On Monday, Slatereported that Sen. Corey Booker (D-N.J.) would testify against him during the hearings--marking the first time that a sitting senator would argue against a colleague's nomination to a cabinet post.
"I do not take lightly the decision to testify against a Senate colleague. But the immense powers of the attorney general combined with the deeply troubling views of this nominee is a call to conscience," Booker said in a statement Monday. "The Attorney General is responsible for ensuring the fair administration of justice, and based on his record, I lack confidence that Senator Sessions can honor this duty."