Key Former Justice Dept. Officials Support Sessions

FORMER U.S. ATTORNEYS: ‘We, The Signatories Below, Are All Former United States Attorneys … Who Write To Support The Confirmation Of Senator Jeff Sessions As Attorney General Of The United States’

LETTER FROM 108 FORMER U.S. ATTORNEYS Who Have Served Under Every President Since Richard Nixon: “We, the signatories below, are all former United States Attorneys - serving under Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama - who write to support the confirmation of Senator Jeff Sessions as Attorney General of the United States.” (108 Former U.S. Attorneys, Letter To Sens. Grassley, Leahy, And Feinstein, 12/16/2016)

• “As former U.S. Attorneys, we are in a unique position to evaluate the qualifications of Senator Sessions to serve as our nation’s Attorney General. . . Senator Sessions’ record reflects his priorities clearly, and none of his work as U.S. Attorney was more impactful than his sustained effort to eliminate segregation in rural Alabama and break the back of the Alabama Klan.” (108 Former U.S. Attorneys, Letter To Sens. Grassley, Leahy, And Feinstein, 12/16/2016)

• “During his 41 years of public service, Senator Sessions has proved to be a leader of strong principles and firm beliefs. … He also has proved to be a leader who appreciates positions that differ from his own and who learns from the scrutiny that comes with public life. His openness to different thinking and other worldviews is evidenced by the recent statements in support of his nomination from colleagues across the political spectrum...” (108 Former U.S. Attorneys, Letter To Sens. Grassley, Leahy, And Feinstein, 12/16/2016)

• “As former U.S. Attorneys, we worked with and for many Attorneys General, each different, each with his or her own unique strengths. We have no doubt that Senator Sessions can do the job well, bringing to this critically important office his own unique and extraordinary strengths of courage, humility, experience, and an inviolable promise to treat all people equally under the law. We strongly urge you to support his confirmation.” (108 Former U.S. Attorneys, Letter To Sens. Grassley, Leahy, And Feinstein, 12/16/2016)

 See Full Letter Attached

FORMER ASSISTANT ATTORNEYS GENERAL: ‘We Write In Strong Support Of The Nomination Of Jeff Sessions To Serve As The Attorney General Of The United States’

“We are former Assistant Attorneys General of the Department of Justice. We write in strong support of the nomination of Jeff Sessions to serve as the Attorney General of the United States. … We are pleased to endorse his nomination and do so without reservation.” (Former Assistant Attorneys General, Letter to Sens. Grassley, Leahy, & Feinstein, 12/12/2016)

• “We have interacted with Senator Sessions in his role as a member of the Judiciary Committee and/or are otherwise familiar with his reputation within the law enforcement community. Senator Sessions has a long and distinguished record of experience within law enforcement. Senator Sessions served for twelve years as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama, for two years as the Attorney General of Alabama, and for two years as an Assistant United States Attorney.” (Former Assistant Attorneys General, Letter to Sens. Grassley, Leahy, & Feinstein, 12/12/2016)

• “As United States Attorney, Senator Sessions worked to obtain the successful capital prosecution of the head of the Alabama Ku Klux Klan for the 1981 murder of Michael Donald, an African-American teenager. The career prosecutor sent from the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice in Washington to Alabama to try the case against Donald’s killers, Barry Kowalski (who also successfully prosecuted the Rodney King case), was quoted recently about the level of support he received from then United States Attorney Sessions in prosecuting the case. Kowalski said that United States Attorney Sessions ‘couldn’t have been more supportive of making sure we got convicted the murderers of the last black man who was lynched by the Klan.’ Kowalski added that ‘[a]t a time when many U.S. Attorneys in the South were not always welcoming to the Civil Rights Division, Jeff Sessions was. Jeff had the vision and the courage and the desire to do right.’ We believe that Senator Sessions, if confirmed, will bring this same courage and desire to do right to his tenure as Attorney General.” (Former Assistant Attorneys General, Letter to Sens. Grassley, Leahy, & Feinstein, 12/12/2016)

• “In his tenure as both a Senator and a United States Attorney, Senator Sessions has demonstrated a commitment to the rule of law, and to the even-handed administration of justice. Senator Sessions was a co-sponsor of the Fair Sentencing Act, which aimed to reduce racial disparity in sentencing, as well as a bill to award Rosa Parks the Congressional Gold Medal.” (Former Assistant Attorneys General, Letter to Sens. Grassley, Leahy, & Feinstein, 12/12/2016)

Letter signed by:

• R. Alexander Acosta, AAG Civil Rights Division (2003-2005)
• Grace Chung Becker, Acting AAG Civil Rights Division (2007-2008)
• Steven G. Bradbury, Acting AAG and Principal Deputy Office of Legal Counsel (2005-2009)
• Daniel J. Bryant, AAG Office of Legislative Affairs (2001-2003) & Office of Legal Policy (2003-2005)
• Charles J. Cooper, AAG Office of Legal Counsel (1985-1988)
• Viet D. Dinh, AAG Office of Legal Policy (2001-2003)
• Alice S. Fisher, AAG Criminal Division (2005-2008)
• Matthew W. Friedrich, Acting AAG Criminal Division (2008-2009)
• Nathan J. Hochman, AAG Tax Division (2008-2009)
• Charles A. James, AAG Antitrust Division (2001-2002)
• Kelly A. Johnson, Acting AAG Environment and Natural Resources Division (2005)
• Gregory G. Katsas, AAG Civil Division (2008-2009)
• Wan J. Kim, AAG Civil Rights Division (2005-2007)
• William E. Moschella, AAG Office of Legislative Affairs (2003-2006)
• Eileen J. O’Connor, AAG Tax Division (2001-2007)
• Theodore B. Olson, AAG Office of Legal Counsel (1981-1984)
• R. Hewitt Pate, AAG Antitrust Division (2003-2005)
• James F. Rill, AAG Antitrust Division (1989-1992)
• J. Patrick Rowan, AAG National Security Division (2008-2009)
• Thomas L. Sansonetti, AAG Environmental and Natural Resources Division (2001-2005)
• Ronald J. Tenpas, AAG Environmental and Natural Resources Division (2007-2009)
• Kenneth L. Wainstein, AAG National Security Division (2006-2008)
• Christopher A. Wray, AAG Criminal Division (2003-2005)

(Former Assistant Attorneys General, Letter to Sens. Grassley, Leahy, & Feinstein, 12/12/2016)

See Full Letter Attached

FORMER ATTORNEYS GENERAL: ‘Senator Sessions Is Superbly Qualified By Temperament, Intellect, And Experience, To Serve As This Nation’s Chief Law Enforcement Officer’

“The signers of this letter served in the Department of Justice ... and, in connection with that service, came to know Senator Jeff Sessions through his oversight of the Department as a member of the Judiciary Committee or in his work as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama... All of us know him as a person of honesty and integrity, who has held himself to the highest ethical standards throughout his career, and is guided always by a deep and abiding sense of duty to this nation and its founding charter.” (Former Attorneys General, Letter to Sens. Grassley and Feinstein, 12/05/2016)

• “Based on our collective and extensive experience, we also know him to be a person of unwavering dedication to the mission of the Department—to assure that our country is governed by the fair and even-handed rule of law.” (Former Attorneys General, Letter to Sens. Grassley and Feinstein, 12/05/2016)

• “In sum, Senator Sessions is superbly qualified by temperament, intellect, and experience, to serve as this nation’s chief law enforcement officer. We urge his swift confirmation.” (Former Attorneys General, Letter to Sens. Grassley and Feinstein, 12/05/2016)

Letter signed by:

• Former Attorney General Ed Meese
• Former Attorney General William Barr
• Former Attorney General John Ashcroft
• Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales
• Former Attorney General Michael Mukasey
• Former Deputy Attorney General George Terwilliger III
• Former Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson
• Former Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty
• Former Deputy Attorney General Craig Morford
• Former Deputy Attorney General Mark Filip