Partisans Grouse Over Need to Oppose Jeff Sessions' Confirmation

For a man who, for the bulk of his adult life worked as a comedian and comedy writer, Senator Al Franken (D – Minn.) is a humorless, sour, petty partisan.

Speaking on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Franken announced that he just didn’t feel “comfortable” that Senator Jeff Sessions would protect the rights of “all Americans,” should he be confirmed for the position of Attorney General.

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He’s not the only one. Senate Minority Leader, Chuck Schumer (D – NY) has a problem with Sessions, as well.

“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,” Schumer said in a statement announcing his opposition Thursday.

Sessions, who has emerged as one of Trump’s most polarizing Cabinet selections, began his confirmation hearing Tuesday.

“Our country needs an attorney general who doesn’t overstate his record,” said Franken, who endorsed 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton over Trump.

By “overstate,” Franken is likely referring to a 2009 interview, where Sessions said he’d prosecuted somewhere between 20 to 30 desegregation cases. During Tuesday’s confirmation hearing, however, he admitted that there were probably somewhat less than that, in which he was the lead prosecutor.

Senator Cory Booker (D – NJ) stepped up to testify against Sessions on Tuesday, saying:

“Sen. Sessions has not demonstrated a commitment to a central requisite of the job to aggressively pursue the congressional mandate of civil rights, equal rights and justice for all of our citizens,” he told the Senate Judiciary Committee.

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In other words, Sessions hasn’t engaged in the social engineering that serves as the very foundation of the Democrat party.

That, and he’s not a Democrat.

Booker had nothing but high praise for Sessions and his civil rights work a year ago, when he partnered with Sessions to award the Congressional Gold Medal to those who participated in the 1965 Voting Rights March, starting from Selma, Alabama, and ending in Montgomery, Ala.

As it is, Sessions only needs 50 votes to be confirmed. With 52 Republicans in the Senate, it is highly unlikely Franken, Booker, nor Schumer withholding their approval will be enough to slow his roll towards confirmation.

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