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Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) sits for his nomination hearings on Tuesday, January 10, 2017. (Photo: C-SPAN/Screenshot)
Followed by shouts of "Shame! Shame!" in the gallery, and with no Democratic members voting in favor, Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday voted to recommend confirmation for Jeff Sessions to become the next U.S. Attorney General.
After stalling tactics and vociferous objections from Democratic members (some of which prompted contentious exchanges among lawmakers), the final vote was 11-9 along strict party lines.
\u201cAfter some angry exchanges, Senate panel approves nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions to be attorney general. https://t.co/vNr4gTa6uL\u201d— The Boston Globe (@The Boston Globe) 1485967722
Sessions' nomination--which was strongly opposed by women's rights groups, civil liberties advocates, public interest organizations, and legal experts from across the progressive community--will now be referred to the full Senate where a final vote will be scheduled.
Vicki Saporta, president and CEO of the National Abortion Federation (NAF), was quick to condemn the committee's vote.
"As the nomination of Jeff Sessions advances to the full Senate, NAF continues to strongly oppose his confirmation," Saporta said in a statement. "Sessions has a long record of opposing protections for abortion providers and we remain unconvinced that he will adequately enforce the laws that protect abortion providers and their patients from threats and violence. Sessions' nomination has broad-based opposition from a wide range of groups that work to advance civil rights and women's rights, including legal scholars. NAF urges Senators to fully consider the record of Jeff Sessions and reject his nomination as Attorney General."
Outrage was also immediate on social media:
\u201cSenate Judiciary Committee blocked Jeff Sessions as judge in 1986 b/c he was too racist. Confirmed him as AG today https://t.co/tIv8W8HQHk\u201d— Ari Berman (@Ari Berman) 1485969116
You can't celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth and appoint an attorney general who won't support the Voting Rights Act. https://t.co/ckbi6VWM5E
-- Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) February 1, 2017
\u201cThe #GOP just voted to send Jeff Sessions to the full Senate for a vote\u2014despite his record of racism & sexism. #StopSessions\u201d— NARAL (@NARAL) 1485968918
\u201cSessions was voted 11-9. He's now our Atty General. God help us all\ud83d\ude21\ud83d\ude21\ud83d\ude21\ud83d\ude21\ud83d\ude21\u201d— Jackie BonnerFarnham\ud83c\udd98 (@Jackie BonnerFarnham\ud83c\udd98) 1485969087
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Followed by shouts of "Shame! Shame!" in the gallery, and with no Democratic members voting in favor, Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday voted to recommend confirmation for Jeff Sessions to become the next U.S. Attorney General.
After stalling tactics and vociferous objections from Democratic members (some of which prompted contentious exchanges among lawmakers), the final vote was 11-9 along strict party lines.
\u201cAfter some angry exchanges, Senate panel approves nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions to be attorney general. https://t.co/vNr4gTa6uL\u201d— The Boston Globe (@The Boston Globe) 1485967722
Sessions' nomination--which was strongly opposed by women's rights groups, civil liberties advocates, public interest organizations, and legal experts from across the progressive community--will now be referred to the full Senate where a final vote will be scheduled.
Vicki Saporta, president and CEO of the National Abortion Federation (NAF), was quick to condemn the committee's vote.
"As the nomination of Jeff Sessions advances to the full Senate, NAF continues to strongly oppose his confirmation," Saporta said in a statement. "Sessions has a long record of opposing protections for abortion providers and we remain unconvinced that he will adequately enforce the laws that protect abortion providers and their patients from threats and violence. Sessions' nomination has broad-based opposition from a wide range of groups that work to advance civil rights and women's rights, including legal scholars. NAF urges Senators to fully consider the record of Jeff Sessions and reject his nomination as Attorney General."
Outrage was also immediate on social media:
\u201cSenate Judiciary Committee blocked Jeff Sessions as judge in 1986 b/c he was too racist. Confirmed him as AG today https://t.co/tIv8W8HQHk\u201d— Ari Berman (@Ari Berman) 1485969116
You can't celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth and appoint an attorney general who won't support the Voting Rights Act. https://t.co/ckbi6VWM5E
-- Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) February 1, 2017
\u201cThe #GOP just voted to send Jeff Sessions to the full Senate for a vote\u2014despite his record of racism & sexism. #StopSessions\u201d— NARAL (@NARAL) 1485968918
\u201cSessions was voted 11-9. He's now our Atty General. God help us all\ud83d\ude21\ud83d\ude21\ud83d\ude21\ud83d\ude21\ud83d\ude21\u201d— Jackie BonnerFarnham\ud83c\udd98 (@Jackie BonnerFarnham\ud83c\udd98) 1485969087
Followed by shouts of "Shame! Shame!" in the gallery, and with no Democratic members voting in favor, Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday voted to recommend confirmation for Jeff Sessions to become the next U.S. Attorney General.
After stalling tactics and vociferous objections from Democratic members (some of which prompted contentious exchanges among lawmakers), the final vote was 11-9 along strict party lines.
\u201cAfter some angry exchanges, Senate panel approves nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions to be attorney general. https://t.co/vNr4gTa6uL\u201d— The Boston Globe (@The Boston Globe) 1485967722
Sessions' nomination--which was strongly opposed by women's rights groups, civil liberties advocates, public interest organizations, and legal experts from across the progressive community--will now be referred to the full Senate where a final vote will be scheduled.
Vicki Saporta, president and CEO of the National Abortion Federation (NAF), was quick to condemn the committee's vote.
"As the nomination of Jeff Sessions advances to the full Senate, NAF continues to strongly oppose his confirmation," Saporta said in a statement. "Sessions has a long record of opposing protections for abortion providers and we remain unconvinced that he will adequately enforce the laws that protect abortion providers and their patients from threats and violence. Sessions' nomination has broad-based opposition from a wide range of groups that work to advance civil rights and women's rights, including legal scholars. NAF urges Senators to fully consider the record of Jeff Sessions and reject his nomination as Attorney General."
Outrage was also immediate on social media:
\u201cSenate Judiciary Committee blocked Jeff Sessions as judge in 1986 b/c he was too racist. Confirmed him as AG today https://t.co/tIv8W8HQHk\u201d— Ari Berman (@Ari Berman) 1485969116
You can't celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth and appoint an attorney general who won't support the Voting Rights Act. https://t.co/ckbi6VWM5E
-- Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) February 1, 2017
\u201cThe #GOP just voted to send Jeff Sessions to the full Senate for a vote\u2014despite his record of racism & sexism. #StopSessions\u201d— NARAL (@NARAL) 1485968918
\u201cSessions was voted 11-9. He's now our Atty General. God help us all\ud83d\ude21\ud83d\ude21\ud83d\ude21\ud83d\ude21\ud83d\ude21\u201d— Jackie BonnerFarnham\ud83c\udd98 (@Jackie BonnerFarnham\ud83c\udd98) 1485969087