General News You Want to Talk About - Tue Feb 07, 2017 11:05 pm

This is chilling free speech.  Just awful. 

Senator Elizabeth Warren was prohibited from reading a letter by Coretta Scott King, on the objection by Mitch McConnell that reading that letter constitutes improper criticism of Jeff Sessions, who is Trump's nominee for U.S. Attorney General.  See "Elizabeth Warren silenced over US Senate criticism of Sessions."  http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38903338

The letter was written by Coretta Scott King 30 years ago.  In that letter, Coretta Scott King urged the Senate to reject Jeff Sessions for a federal judgeship, due to her allegation that Jeff Sessions targeted African-American voter rights activists in order to "suppress black votes when he was attorney in Alabama."  
See "The Voter Fraud Case Jeff Sessions Lost and Can't Escape" (January 9, 2017).  https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/09/magazine/the-voter-fraud-case-jeff-sessions-lost-and-cant-escape.html?_r=0

(Note:  In that case, Jeff Sessions as the U.S. attorney for West Alabama, led the investigation and prosecution of 3 African-American civil rights activists, charging them with voter fraud because the activists assisted elderly African-American voters in filling out ballots for local elections.  The circumstances surrounding Jeff Sessions's investigation and prosecution of the civil rights activists were suspicious.  The judge in the case threw out many of the counts against the 3 civil rights activists, and the jury acquitted them of the remaining charges.) 


February 7, 2017

(Note:  This is Rule 19 (2):  "No Senator in debate shall, directly or indirectly, by any form of words impute to another Senator or to other Senators any conduct or motive unworthy or unbecoming a Senator."  Source:  http://www.rules.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=RuleXIX )

Well, what if the words expressed by Elizabeth Warren, as she read Coretta Scott King's letter, was about deeply concerning conduct of Jeff Sessions when he targeted African-American civil rights activists, and intimidated and discouraged elderly African-Americans from voting?  Should that not be pointed out during Senate discussion of Jeff Sessions's fitness to be the next Attorney General?!

And is Rule 19 enforced in a fair and unbiased manner, so used against Republican Senators as well?  According to the media, Senators who have been in the Senate since the late 1970s cannot remember when this rule was last used.

So Senators are forbidden from expressing their opinions about the qualifications of Sessions to be the highest law enforcement officer in the U.S., merely because an opinion may be negative?   Only positive opinions of Senators are allowed about the fitness of Jeff Sessions as the U.S. Attorney General, all because he is a fellow Senator?  What kind of stupid rule is this?

Here is the text of the letter from Coretta Scott King, dated 1986:

Dear Senator Thurmond:

I write to express my sincere opposition to the confirmation of Jefferson B. Sessions as a federal district court judge for the Southern District of Alabama. My professional and personal roots in Alabama are deep and lasting. Anyone who has used the power of his office as United States Attorney to intimidate and chill the free exercise of the ballot by citizens should not be elevated to our courts. Mr. Sessions has used the awesome powers of his office in a shabby attempt to intimidate and frighten elderly black voters. For this reprehensible conduct, he should not be rewarded with a federal judgeship.

I regret that a long-standing commitment prevents me from appearing in person to testify against this nominee. However, I have attached a copy of my statement opposing Mr. Sessions’ confirmation and I request that my statement as well as this be made a part of the hearing record.

I do sincerely urge you to oppose the confirmation of Mr. Sessions.


http://www.salon.com/2017/01/11/coretta-scott-king-in-1986-letter-jeff-sessions-would-irreparably-damage-the-work-of-my-husband-martin-luther-king-jr/



To see the actual letter, go to this Washington Post article:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/01/10/read-the-letter-coretta-scott-king-wrote-opposing-sessionss-1986-federal-nomination/?utm_term=.cd2a691cb054






If you have twitter, hashtag:  "#Sessions hearing. #LetCorettaSpeak #LetLizSpeak

Telephone your Senators and urge them to oppose Jeff Sessions's confirmation as Attorney General.  The vote will be TOMORROW (Wednesday)!!!
  

This is especially important if you have Republican Senators.

If you are not sure how to contact your Senators, or do not know who are your Senators, go here (in the top right corner, select your state):   https://www.senate.gov/index.htm 


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