In just 24 hours, the Senate Judiciary Committee will be conducting appointment hearings for Senator Jeff Sessions, nominated to become the next Attorney General. Several appointees are likely to threaten drug policy and criminal justice reforms in the coming years, but none so much as Mr. Sessions. He said that “good people don’t smoke marijuana”. He said he thought the KKK was alright until he learned they used marijuana. He has rejected common-sense criminal justice reforms despite broad support and decries efforts to reduce the prison population. He supports civil asset forfeiture. He opposes Justice Department oversight of local and state police departments exhibiting patterns of civil rights infringement. Take 2 minutes to call your Senators today at 202-224-3121 and tell them you oppose this nomination. We’ve even written you a script:
Hello, my name is _______ and I’m a constituent of Senator _____. I’m calling to urge the Senator to oppose the nomination of Senator Sessions as Attorney General. I’m concerned he will use his powers to undermine the Constitution and the will of the voters by increasing incarceration, interfering in states with legal marijuana, and threatening civil rights and criminal justice reform. Also, Senator Sessions has not provided a full accounting of his record, as required by the Senate Judiciary Committee. I urge the Senator to oppose Mr. Sessions nomination for Attorney General. Thank you.
While many believe the Sessions nomination can’t be stopped, the recent outcry and resulting reversal of proposed changes to House ethics rules demonstrates that broad public opposition still has sway in Washington. If there’s one thing we ought to be opposed to, it’s the notion of Senator Jeff Sessions becoming Attorney General. Join us and thousands of other drug policy and criminal justice reformers, civil rights defenders in opposition to this nomination. Take 2 minutes to call your Senators today at 202-224-3121.
