Tomorrow: Press Call with Civil Rights Leaders Opposing Jeff Sessions for Attorney General – 9 a.m
***Media Advisory***
Contact: Nicky Vogt at 202-331-2389
.WASHINGTON, DC — NAACP National President and CEO Cornell William Brooks and other civil rights leaders will speak with members of the media during a 9 a.m. press call tomorrow (Friday January 6) to discuss growing opposition to the nomination of Sen. Jeff Sessions as Attorney General.
Brooks will join Wade Henderson of the Leadership Conference for Civil and Human Rights, National Action Network Founder & President Reverend Al Sharpton and civil rights leaders from the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., NCAPA, NCLR and MALDEF for the call.
The NAACP and others have said that Sessions’ views on civil rights, voting rights and other key issues make him unqualified to serve as Attorney General. Sessions is scheduled to appear for a confirmation hearing on Tuesday Jan 10 before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
As reported by a coalition of organizations, Sessions’ initial Senate Judiciary Questionnaire had hundreds of concerning omissions. Despite a supplement of new entries submitted weeks later, a second report demonstrated that his application is still astonishingly incomplete. Furthermore, Sessions has grossly misrepresented his civil rights record by claiming that cases he had no substantive involvement in were among the most significant he personally handled. Sessions’ disregard for the Senate requirements shows a fundamental disregard for the office of Attorney General and for the Senate itself.
Sessions has a 30-year record of racial insensitivity, bias against immigrants, disregard for the rule of law, and hostility towards the protection of civil rights that makes him unfit to serve as the Attorney General of the United States. In our democracy, the Attorney General is charged with enforcing our nation’s laws without prejudice and with a deep commitment to justice. And, just as important, the Attorney General has to be seen by the public – every member of the public, from every community – as a fair arbiter of justice and independent check on the administration. Unfortunately, there is little in Sessions’ record that demonstrates that he would meet such a standard.
WHAT:
Press Conference Call with Civil Rights Leaders
WHO:
Cornell William Brooks, President and CEO, NAACP
Wade Henderson, President, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (Moderator)
Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.
Christopher Kang, Director, National Council of Asian Pacific Americans
Janet Murgia, President and CEO, National Council of La Raza
Thomas Saenz, President and General Counsel, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund
Reverend Al Sharpton, Founder and President, National Action Network
WHEN:
January 6, 2017 at 9 a.m. EST
DIAL IN: 877‑876‑9177 tel:(877)%20876-9177 tel:(877)%20876-9177 PASSCODE: STOP SESSIONS
The call will conclude with a question and answer session.
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Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest nonpartisan civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities. You can read more about the NAACP’s work and our six “Game Changer” issue areas here.
