Sen. Jeff Sessions said Tuesday he would recuse himself from any investigations of Hillary Clinton if confirmed as Donald Trump’s attorney general.
Answering questions from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Sessions admitted that his comments on the campaign trail about possible criminal probes into the former first lady could lead to questions about his objectivity.
“It was a highly contentious campaign. I, like a lot of people, made comments about the issues in that campaign with regard to Secretary Clinton and some of the comments I made I do believe that that could place my objectivity in question,” Sessions said.
“I’ve given that thought. I believe the proper thing for me to do would be to recuse myself from any questions involving those kind of investigations that involve Secretary Clinton that were raised during the campaign. We can never have a political dispute turn into a criminal dispute.”
Sessions also testified that the Supreme Court’s decisions on same-sex marriage and abortion were “settled law,” although he said he still believed that the court’s Roe. v. Wade decision was unconstitutional.
“I believe it violated the constitution and really attempted to set policy and not follow law. [But] it is the law of the land. it has been so established and settled for quite a long time, and it deserves respect and I would respect it and follow it,” he said about Roe v. Wade.
About same-sex marriage, he said, “The Supreme Court has ruled on that. The dissent dissented vigorously but it was 5-4 and five justices on the Supreme Court, a majority of the court, has established the definition of marriage for the entire United States of America, and I will follow that decision.”
The first hearing for a Trump Cabinet selection got off to a raucous start when two men in white sheets and KKK pointed caps were ejected before Sessions was even sworn in to testify
The men wearing KKK caps, standing on chairs in the Senate hearing room, claimed they were Sessions’ #1 fans.
“Jefferson Beauregard, you speak for the people!” said one of them, calling the nominee by his first and middle name.
As police escorted the two men out, one yelled, “You can’t arrest me, we’re white. White people don’t get arrested. I’m a white man!”
Code Pink founder Medea Benjamin claimed credit for the KKK-themed protesters — claiming the ejected men were part of her group.
Pot activists also were also on hand, having arrived at the committee room fittingly at 4:20 am — to get a good seat — wearing red shirts reading, “Great Americans Smoke Sessions.”
The senator, a staunch immigration hawk, was also met by protesters waving signs that read “Stand Against Xenophobia.”
Midway through opening statements, Rev. Al Sharpton walked in to the hearing room as well.
Senate Democrats, many of whom have served with the Alabama senator for years, have promised a tough confirmation battle.
In an unprecedented move, a sitting US senator, Cory Booker (D-NJ) is scheduled to testify against Sessions.
Sessions was first was sworn in to the Senate in 1997.
In 1986, Sessions was nominated by Ronald Reagan to be a a judge, serving the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama. But his nomination was withdrawn later that year amid charges of racism.