02.08.17

Durbin Opposes Ag Nominee Sen. Sessions

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) issued the following statement after voting against President Trump’s nominee for U.S. Attorney General. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 52-47-1.
 
On issue after issue, Senator Sessions has said that, as Attorney General, he would simply “follow the law.” But it is also the duty of our nation’s chief law enforcement officer to use his discretion to choose when to enforce the law and when to stand up to the President when his actions do not serve the interests of justice.
 
With our nation divided and the President having already fired an Attorney General for standing up to him, we need an independent Attorney General willing to defend our Constitution and stand up for what’s right. I voted against Senator Sessions because I did not have confidence he could serve as the independent Attorney General our nation needs.