Sessions Uses Sotomayor Nomination To Continue His Lifelong Crusade Against Civil Rights
Sessions Uses Sotomayor Nomination To Continue His Lifelong Crusade Against Civil Rights
Conservatives have chosen a strange leader to spearhead their charge against Judge Sotomayor — Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL). With only days remaining until Sotomayor’s confirmation hearings begin, Sessions has focused his attacks on Sotomayor’s past service on the board of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund (PRLDEF), a leading civil rights organization that Sessions calls “extreme” because it “brought several race discrimination lawsuits for minorities” while Sotomayor sat on its board.
Setting aside the facial absurdity of this attack — race discrimination is illegal, a fact which apparently also bothers Sessions — it’s puzzling that conservatives would let Sessions be their public face of opposition against the first Latina nominated to the Supreme Court, especially in light of his own checkered history with race.
In 1986, Sessions’ nomination to the federal bench was rejected by the Senate because of Sessions’ deep-seated hostility to the very notion of civil rights. In comments that are strikingly similar to his recent attacks on PRLDEF, Sessions attacked the NAACP as an “un-American” and “Communist-inspired” organization that “forced civil rights down the throats of people.” When confronted about these statements at his confirmation hearing, Sessions reluctantly conceded that they “probably w[ere] wrong.” Watch:
Nor were Sessions’ attacks on the NAACP an isolated incident. As a federal prosecutor, Sessions conducted a tenuous criminal investigation into voting rights advocates that registered African-Americans to vote, an investigation that culminated in an unsuccessful prosecution against a former aide to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Additionally, an African-American attorney who once worked for Sessions testified at his hearings that Sessions said that he “used to think [the KKK] were OK” until he found out some of them were “pot smokers.” The same attorney also recalled being called “boy” by Sessions and being told to “be careful what you say to white folks” after Sessions overheard him chastising a white secretary.
So Sessions’ attacks on PRLDEF fit into a much larger pattern; they are just the most recent phase of Sessions’ crusade against civil rights and the organizations that promote them. America has changed a lot since 1986, but Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III remains exactly the same.
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Once a racist, ALWAYS a racist. Sessions is one of those inbred good ol’ boys who’ll never change.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:06 pmAnd the reason why the GNOP will be spending the next 20 years in the wilderness.
Hey trolls, you got the party you wanted. Enjoy your irrelevence.
A ranking white, middle aged, well to do, Southern Rethuglican is a racist?
Do tell.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:08 pmConservatives have chosen a strange leader
Michael Steele?
John Boehner?
Rush Limbaugh?
John McCain?
Jeff Sessions is no surprise given the company.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:09 pmAnother aging holy roller repiggie from the South…
What’s new?
July 7th, 2009 at 5:11 pmSenator Jefferson Beauregard “Jeff” Sessions III, isn’t that a synonym for rascist?
July 7th, 2009 at 5:12 pmThey’ve been acting like they want to roll back the Civil Rights Act lately, and I thought they had lost their focus or something. But apparently they want a rematch on that battle. Alright, let’s do it.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:12 pmElBruce Says:
They’ve been acting like they want to roll back the Civil Rights Act lately, and I thought they had lost their focus or something. But apparently they want a rematch on that battle. Alright, let’s do it.
Not with the Dems we have in Congress right now! We would lose all of the gains we have maid in civil rights over the last 50 years! All in the name of “bipartisanship”.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:15 pmLet him rant. Sotomayor has the votes, Jefferson Davis (oops, “Beauregard”)Sessions and the Republicans have nothing but a blatantly racist and somewhat misogynistic attack strategy. If they want to alienate the female and hispanic voting blocks further, let them.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:16 pmThank goodness the Dixiecrats left the Dems to join the Republicans. Sessions is proving to be an embarrassment for the Republicans and they just can’t shut him up.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:16 pmI can see why Sessions and the rest of the ‘pubs are worried. Sotomayor only received a 100% rating from the American Bar Association. She’d better start improving, or else.
PEACE
July 7th, 2009 at 5:18 pmThe only “minority” Sessions could possibly understand is being in the minority party in Washington.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:23 pmWingnuts are an irrelevant minority. The Democrats have the votes. Sessions is just one of the white boy Ku Klux Klan. The rethugs are made up of religious right wing terrorists, KKK, and neo conservative fascists. That is what they stand for and they well never have a majority again.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:26 pmI reckon that’s how them real American’s outside the Beltway talk…Actually no I don’t but it seems some do sadly…
July 7th, 2009 at 5:28 pmyeah, you know, god hates those g#damned hippies smokin that plant that he created..now wheres my Jack Daniels?
July 7th, 2009 at 5:31 pmSort of surprised that Jefferson Beauregard Sessions the 3rd (turd?) wasn’t invited to speak at Michael Jackson’s ceremony today………….
July 7th, 2009 at 5:39 pm“Wingnuts are an irrelevant minority. The Democrats have the votes. Sessions is just one of the white boy Ku Klux Klan. The rethugs are made up of religious right wing terrorists, KKK, and neo conservative fascists. That is what they stand for and they well never have a majority again.”
Yawn………
July 7th, 2009 at 5:39 pmRoark,
Does the discussion of reality bore you?
July 7th, 2009 at 5:42 pmLefty Liberal Says:
Not with the Dems we have in Congress right now! We would lose all of the gains we have maid in civil rights over the last 50 years! All in the name of “bipartisanship”.
No, I don’t think we’re going to be rolling anything back. They might as well try arguing that women shouldn’t vote. Maybe hold up some manacles and cages and politely ask all African-Americans to get back inside?
Then we get to do the 2010 elections. After a couple cycles of this, there’ll be nobody left to be “bipartisan” with.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:46 pmRoark Says:
——————————————————————————–
“Wingnuts are an irrelevant minority. The Democrats have the votes. Sessions is just one of the white boy Ku Klux Klan. The rethugs are made up of religious right wing terrorists, KKK, and neo conservative fascists. That is what they stand for and they well never have a majority again.”
Yawn………
July 7th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Thanks for that incisive and pertinent observation there , Mr Excitement ……..
What a typical GOP backing skid mark……..
July 7th, 2009 at 5:48 pmIt’s just really foreign to him, and many right-wingers I have known respond to confusion by feigning boredom.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:48 pmOnly the predictably immature, ignorant, and angry posts here. There is little real discussion on these message boards, mostly just random, baseless name calling.
The republican party is no more made up entirely of KKK members, terrorists, and fascists than the democrat party is made up of people on welfare and communists.
Let’s try some civility, shall we?
July 7th, 2009 at 5:51 pmThank heavans Sessions’ nomination to be a judge was rejected.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:52 pmThe Democrats need to be ready to take the fight back against Sessions. It needs to be done in the committee hearings and it needs to be done through other public media. It has to be directed against him. It should consist of the following talking points:
1. Sessions must be forced to defend his position on each case that he felt was improperly brought under Civil Rights Laws. Every time he brings it up, another committee member needs to nail him on the fact that he seems to be saying that there should never be an employment discrimination act.
2. Concurrent with that, Sessions needs to be pushed on his past record when he attacks Latino groups. He should be asked during the hearing (yes, this would violate parliamentary rules) whether his stated opinion mirrors the same opinion that he had of the NAACP.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:55 pmDetachment from reality is common after being exposed to extended periods of brainwashing, which is quite common among the fascist theocratic Republicans.
Another possibility is delusional schizophrenia. While it is unlikely, it is possible Republicans are actually infected with some type of disease or virus. Symptoms of this theoretical disease are loss of higher reasoning ability, and denial of reality.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:55 pmRoark Says:
——————————————————————————–
Roark,
Does the discussion of reality bore you?
-Levi
Only the predictably immature, ignorant, and angry posts here. There is little real discussion on these message boards, mostly just random, baseless name calling.
The republican party is no more made up entirely of KKK members, terrorists, and fascists than the democrat party is made up of people on welfare and communists.
Let’s try some civility, shall we?
July 7th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Yeah , because we all know that those cries to lynch/kill Obama at the McCrappyPilot/Bible Spice Palin rallies were really “code words” for “we’re into civil rights”…….
July 7th, 2009 at 5:56 pmThe republican party is no more made up entirely of KKK members, terrorists, and fascists than the democrat party is made up of people on welfare and communists.
As per usual, a Repub troll tries for sanity and ends up grabbing the rim.
The Republican party, all 20% of it, is made up of KKK members, sympathizers and wannabes. They are supporting terrorism in the US and they are clearly fascists.
I am not aware of any recipient of welfare who holds a seat in Congress and communist? I thought the meme was socialist Nazi. Get with your program.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:56 pmSo if get stopped for speeding, should I engage in a discussion of how cops are an “un-American” and “Communist-inspired” organization that forces the laws down the throats of people ?
I’m sure the officer couldn’t mount an adequate defense to my argument, could they ?
July 7th, 2009 at 5:56 pmSessions was given the opportunity to catch a clue when he was rejected as a potential Federal judge, but he’s apparently not even able to pretend he’s not an unrepentant racist.
It’s sad when teachable moments are wasted… but I encourage Sen Sessions to continue running his mouth at top volume.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:57 pmElBruce
My comment was more of a sarcastic comment on the state of the Democrats and their unwillingness to pass legislation that Americans want, even if that means ramming it down the throat of the Republicans.
The only worry is that if the Democrats DON’T pass good legislation, there will be a backlash. Democratic voters will get tired of waiting for their representatives to do something that they won’t have the incentive to vote. By default, the Republicans will gain and be even more destructive.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:59 pmAnd here I thought Strom Thurmond was dead and buried.
Even George Wallace eventually saw the error of his ways, and that was thirty years ago.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:01 pmIn the days of your there was a dream. What if they gave an election and nobody came?
Corporate America has effectively killed that one.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:01 pmY’know… I don’t recall a whole lot of calls for “civility” from the right when they were in the majority… do y’all?
It seems to be a “situational” thing for them.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:01 pmHe’s got no incentive to catch that particular clue, Zooey.
Being an unrepentant racist can actually be a boon to a Senate candidate from Alabama.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:04 pmralph the wonder locust Says:
July 7th, 2009 at 6:08 pmAnd I don’t recall seeing it from Caribou Barbie during the campaign last fall or any other citizens of Teabagistan during the recent Tea Parties.
Civility. As derived from civil or civics or having to do with society. Or dealing with the citizens of a society. 70% of citizens want public health care. 60% want us out of the illegal war in Iraq.
If the Republicans want to be treated ‘civily’ they should listen to the citizens.
Not a bad idea for the Democrats either.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:08 pmralph the wonder locust Says:
He’s got no incentive to catch that particular clue, Zooey.
Being an unrepentant racist can actually be a boon to a Senate candidate from Alabama.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
I guess…
If I were Sessions, I would want to be able to show change from those old videos. Even if I didn’t feel it down inside, I’d want to at least put on a good face.
But that’s just me…
July 7th, 2009 at 6:12 pmRepublicans are extreme liars.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:18 pmThe reality is Sessions is a 20th century good old white boy from Georgia with 19th century ideals and a constituency that’s like-minded and mad, so he at least believes he’s representing them. The election of President Obama is the biggest blow to their reality since the repeal of Jim Crow.
They don’t want to accept reality; the South, as they want it,
July 7th, 2009 at 6:28 pmwill not rise again. And they would rather die of hate than change. What’s a dinosaur to do?
It boils down to this: their line of attack on Sotomayor is that she is not an activist judge who seeks to overturn civil rights legislation on behalf of white people. That’s their argument. They are literally saying that only anti-civil-rights judicial activists who legislate from the bench should be allowed on the SCOTUS.
I think we can win that argument pretty handily.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:29 pmIt’s his life’s work. It’s always wonderful when a man or woman finds their life’s work.
And his life’s work will be a cross to hang around his neck for all time, long after he is gone. F**k Jeff Sessions raw.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:39 pmSessions is the front boy for the RNC. In years to come this assault with Somomayer’s conformation will haunt them. This guy is a raciest, clear and simple, and he is championing the Republican affirmation of the white race as the ruling class.
This guy is playing with fire and I hope he gets burned!
July 7th, 2009 at 6:55 pmRoark Says:
Hey MORON. Want some civility? How about calling the DemocratIC party by its right name. If you are too STUPID to know the name of the largest political party in America you dont DESERVE civility.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:04 pmRoark Says:
Hey MORON. Want some civility? How about calling the DemocratIC party by its right name? If you are too STUPID to know the name of the largest political party in America you dont desever civility
July 7th, 2009 at 7:07 pmWow, the South really has some Scum Sucking Racists Pigs representing them…
…must have people like Roark voting for them.
The new Troll is particularly stupid and offensive at the same time.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:26 pmRoark said,
but then he complains how everyone on TP is participating in,
Pot, meet kettle.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:31 pmWith a full name of Jefferson Beauregard “Jeff” Sessions III you just have to be a full bore racists ! It’s family values!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Phuck you Jefferson Beauregard the Turd!!! A$$hole!!
July 7th, 2009 at 7:46 pmEvery time this racist, scumbag ask Sotomayor a question she should reply, “Can we discuss your KKK membership first?”
July 7th, 2009 at 7:54 pmBTW, My name calling in not baseless.
Jeff Sessions is a RACIST PHUCKHEAD!!!
And has no right participating in this Senate business!!
Much less judging Sotomayor for the SCOTUS!!!
He’s a RACIST A$$HOLE!!!!
July 7th, 2009 at 8:03 pmRoark Says:
The republican party is no more made up entirely of KKK members, terrorists, and fascists than the democrat party is made up of people on welfare and communists.
Nobody but you said “entirely.” Of course we don’t characterize the Republican party that way. It also includes a number of corporate leeches and war profiteers sucking America dry for their own profit, as well as a great many mouth-breathing, knuckle-dragging imbeciles marching off the cliff like lemmings dancing to their war drums.
But being a Republican is a lifestyle choice, one which I simply can’t condone. You’re all going to hell unless you change your ways. It’s simply my right as an American to believe that. If it were up to me, your ilk wouldn’t be legally allowed to marry. But you know what they say – hate the sin, love the sinner. You’re free to repent and stop voting Republican at any time, and then my vitriol will no longer apply to you.
July 7th, 2009 at 10:00 pmOnce again the Republican Party shoots itself in the foot and calls it progress.
July 8th, 2009 at 9:40 amTotally agree. Watch his poor attempt to discredit Sotomayor in today’s hearings.
http://axisofreason.com/2009/07/14/sessions-and-sotamayor/
July 14th, 2009 at 8:50 pm