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| Jeff Sessions tells Senate confirmation hearing: 'I am not racist and will recuse myself from any Hillary Clinton investigation' | Jeff Sessions tells Senate confirmation hearing: 'I am not racist and will recuse myself from any Hillary Clinton investigation' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The confirmation hearing of attorney general Jeff Sessions was bound to be a spectacle. | The confirmation hearing of attorney general Jeff Sessions was bound to be a spectacle. |
| "No KKK, No fascist USA!" calls erupted from the back of the room. Two people stood up, wearing white sheets like the Ku Klux Klan. | "No KKK, No fascist USA!" calls erupted from the back of the room. Two people stood up, wearing white sheets like the Ku Klux Klan. |
| Mr Sessions shuffled his papers, took some water and suppressed a smile. At 70 years old, he still looks boyish, with slightly pink cheeks. | Mr Sessions shuffled his papers, took some water and suppressed a smile. At 70 years old, he still looks boyish, with slightly pink cheeks. |
| He then started his statement. Just a few sentences in, another protester started calling him a “pig”. She was removed by police. | He then started his statement. Just a few sentences in, another protester started calling him a “pig”. She was removed by police. |
| "I want to thank Donald Trump," he continued. | "I want to thank Donald Trump," he continued. |
| "I feel the weight of an honour greater than I aspired to." | "I feel the weight of an honour greater than I aspired to." |
| Regarding Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump's suggestion to prosecute her, he replied his oversight of any such case would "place [his] objectivity in question". | Regarding Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump's suggestion to prosecute her, he replied his oversight of any such case would "place [his] objectivity in question". |
| "I’ve given that thought and think the proper thing would be to recuse myself from any of those investigations surrounding secretary Clinton," he said. | "I’ve given that thought and think the proper thing would be to recuse myself from any of those investigations surrounding secretary Clinton," he said. |
| The successor to Democrat attorney general Loretta Lynch talked about crime, the heroin epidemic, the "real victims" of "drugs cartels, violence and misery". | The successor to Democrat attorney general Loretta Lynch talked about crime, the heroin epidemic, the "real victims" of "drugs cartels, violence and misery". |
| He named his priorities as responding to "threats", keeping the country safe and working against cyber threats. | He named his priorities as responding to "threats", keeping the country safe and working against cyber threats. |
| He occasionally paused, making jokes about football with the chairman of the committee, giving the audience no doubt as to their close relationship. | He occasionally paused, making jokes about football with the chairman of the committee, giving the audience no doubt as to their close relationship. |
| He then referenced accusations levied against him that he pushed back voting rights of African Americans and sympathised with the KKK in 1986. | |
| "These are false charges," he said. | "These are false charges," he said. |
| He was referring to when he appeared before the senate as President Ronald Reagan’s nominee for the US District Judge for the Southern District of Alabama. The four-day hearing ended with him unable to overcome allegations of racist remarks and behaviour, accusations of which came from fellow prosecutors and employees in his office. | He was referring to when he appeared before the senate as President Ronald Reagan’s nominee for the US District Judge for the Southern District of Alabama. The four-day hearing ended with him unable to overcome allegations of racist remarks and behaviour, accusations of which came from fellow prosecutors and employees in his office. |
| "I never declared the NAACP was un-American or that a civil rights attorney to be a disgrace to his race," he added. "There is nothing I am more proud of than my 14 years in the Department of Justice." | "I never declared the NAACP was un-American or that a civil rights attorney to be a disgrace to his race," he added. "There is nothing I am more proud of than my 14 years in the Department of Justice." |
| He insisted he would protect the rights of LGBT people and women. | He insisted he would protect the rights of LGBT people and women. |
| "I am ready for this job. We will do it right. Your input will be valued. Law enforcement will be our partners." | "I am ready for this job. We will do it right. Your input will be valued. Law enforcement will be our partners." |
| Mr Sessions was once deemed to be too racist to serve as a federal judge. Mr Sessions has flatly denied any racism and argued that during his career he prosecuted members of the KKK. | Mr Sessions was once deemed to be too racist to serve as a federal judge. Mr Sessions has flatly denied any racism and argued that during his career he prosecuted members of the KKK. |
| The senate confirmation is the last formality before Mr Sessions is appointed to overview the entire just system in the US. | The senate confirmation is the last formality before Mr Sessions is appointed to overview the entire just system in the US. |
| Mr Session’s top aide helped the President-elect Donald Trump to communicate his immigration policy, which has been described as bigoted and discriminatory against Hispanics and Muslims. | Mr Session’s top aide helped the President-elect Donald Trump to communicate his immigration policy, which has been described as bigoted and discriminatory against Hispanics and Muslims. |
| The senator also chaired Mr Trump’s national security advisory committee, which proposed a Muslim "registry" and to build a wall along the Mexico border. | The senator also chaired Mr Trump’s national security advisory committee, which proposed a Muslim "registry" and to build a wall along the Mexico border. |
| He also advised Mr Trump on choosing Indiana governor Mike Pence as vice president, a man who has consistently fought to reduce women’s reproductive rights in his home state. | He also advised Mr Trump on choosing Indiana governor Mike Pence as vice president, a man who has consistently fought to reduce women’s reproductive rights in his home state. |