On Tuesday the Senate plans to hold its confirmation hearing for Jeff Sessions, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for United States attorney general. The longtime Alabama senator faces criticism for having prosecuted civil rights activists and for his frequent opposition to immigration reforms like paths to citizenship and visa programs for foreign workers. But his supporters say Sessions brings strong experience to the role: he’s been a senator for 20 years and served as a U.S. attorney and as the attorney general for Alabama. We take a closer look at Sessions’ background and at his potential appointment as head of the Department of Justice.
Who is U.S. Attorney General Nominee Jeff Sessions?
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U.S. Attorney General nominee Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) attends a meeting with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) on Capitol Hill, November 29, 2016 in Washington, DC. (Photo: Mark Harris)
Guests:
Kristen Clarke, president and executive director, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
Robert Driscoll, managing partner, McGlinchey Stafford; former deputy assistant general, U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division
Jesselyn McCurdy, deputy director, ACLU Washington Legislative Office
Carrie Johnson, justice correspondent, NPR
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