On January 4, 2017, The National Employment Lawyers Association issued the following statement opposing the nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions for United States Attorney General.
NELA OPPOSES SENATOR JEFF SESSIONS FOR UNITED STATES?ATTORNEY GENERAL
The National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) strongly opposes the nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) for United States Attorney General. Senator Sessions has a long record of opposition to legislation to protect civil and workers? rights. For example, he opposed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and several measures to increase the minimum wage. In addition, Senator Sessions has voted in favor of legislation that would limit workers? ability to join together as a class and seek redress for widespread civil rights violations in the workplace. His history of racial insensitivity and failure to stand against discrimination toward racial and ethnic minorities, women, immigrants, and LGBTQ people make him uniquely unfit to serve as United States Attorney General.
Senator Sessions was nominated by President Ronald Reagan in 1986 to serve as a U.S. District Court judge for the Southern District of Alabama. A bipartisan majority on the Senate Judiciary Committee voted against confirming Senator Sessions because of concerns about his ability to be fair and impartial. There is no credible evidence that anything has changed about Senator Sessions? point of view or his willingness to use the tools of the law rigorously on behalf of those who face injustice over the intervening thirty years. Appointing him United States Attorney General would represent a repudiation of the values embodied by our nation?s civil rights laws and an affront to our American values of equality and fairness.
Upholding America?s ideal of ?equal justice under law? mandates that our Attorney General be committed unequivocally to serving as the lawyer for everyone in our country, including those who are most vulnerable and least able to protect themselves. Senator Sessions does not possess the commitment or the experience required to hold the Office of the Attorney General.
More information can be found HERE on the comprehensive fact sheet created by the Alliance for Justice.