Sessions Hearing Sparks Strong Reaction From Local Groups
by Cherri Gregg
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- President-elect Trump's nomination for Attorney General is sparking strong reaction, with local civil rights groups joining a national effort to stop the confirmation. But the nominee also has supporters.
"We vigorously oppose him being in," says Min. Rodney Muhammad, president of the Philadelphia NAACP. He has sent letters to both Pennsylvania U.S. Senators Bob Casey and Pat Toomey urging them to vote against Senator Jeff Sessions.
"He will not serve the best interest of many groups that have faced hate crimes or broad discriminations," says Muhammad, "the opportunity we have to put checks and balances in place against these cities and states is the federal government and when you have an attorney general like Senator Sessions in place we do not have that safeguard."
Muhammad cites to Sessions' record on voting rights. Details on his record came to light in a recently resurfaced 1986 letter from the late Corretta Scott King to Congress.
The letter expresses grave concerns, similar to those lodged by Muhammad and other groups, as well as U.S. Senator Corey Booker.
King wrote opposing Sessions' nomination to a federal judgeship, citing incidents of voter intimidation and malicious prosecution of civil rights leaders who registered Black voters during the height of the movement during the time Sessions served as U.S. Attorney in Alabama.
"Mrs. King is calling out to us from the grave," says Vincent Hughes, Pennsylvania Senator for the 7th senatorial district.
Hughes organized Philadelphia civil rights groups last week for a private breakfast meeting with Rev. Al Sharpton, leader of the National Action Network.
During that meeting, Hughes spoke to more than two dozen leaders- urging them to write their US Senators to vote against Sessions and other Trump nominees.
"We want more vetting for all of these individuals," says Hughes, "there is a lot of concerns for these folks-- Sessions is just getting this attention because he is one of the first up."
But not everyone opposes Sessions.
"I believe anything that goes against the constitution, he's going to fight for." says Bruce Carter, founder of Republicans for Urban Communities.
He says he met with Senator Sessions personally and believes he fights for all people, citing his agressive prosecution of a KKK leader who killed a Black man.
"I think you have to take everything in total," he says, "it's not always about race."
Philadelphia for Trump has also lodged a letter writing in support of Sessions via their Facebook page.
Civil rights leaders who are against Sessions' nomination say to expect more opposition against other Trump nominees.