Pelosi Statement on Potential Nominations of Sen. Jeff Sessions and Rep. Mike Pompeo

November 18, 2016

San Francisco – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement after it was reported that President-elect Donald Trump plans to nominate Senator Jeff Sessions as the next Attorney General and Congressman Mike Pompeo to be Director of the CIA:

"Days after naming a white nationalist as his Chief Strategist, the President-elect has chosen an Attorney General with a long record of racially offensive statements, discriminatory goals, and contempt for voting rights. As Attorney General, Jeff Sessions would have dangerous new authority to attack civil rights, LGBT rights, and the rights of immigrants and people of color.

"Senator Sessions' record of racially-charged comments and actions was considered disqualifying for a district judgeship by the standards of 1986, and now in 2016 President-elect Trump wants to make him the chief law enforcement officer in America. In fact, in recent years, Senator Sessions' conduct toward Latino and immigrant families has only grown more disconcerting.

"The Department of Justice and the CIA need non-partisan leaders the American people can trust implicitly. Yet Congressman Mike Pompeo, a leading cheerleader of the Benghazi witch hunt, is now being asked to fill one of the most serious and sober national security positions there is. Democrats have grave concerns with these men being selected to offices with such sweeping consequences for the rights and security of the American people."