05.06.21. Russian Interference in 2016 Election Supplemental
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Lichtenstein, Alexandra R. (OLA) From: Lichtenstein, Alexandra R. (OLA) Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2017 5:57 PM To: Uriarte, Carlos (ODAG); Elias, John (OAAG); Aguilar, Rita (OAAG); Werner, Sharon (OAG) Subject: RE:Partial Sessions Hearing Transcript Attachments: 2017-1-10 Senate Judiciary Committee -Sessions Nomination -FINAL.pdf Attached is the final transcript. From: Lichtenstein, Alexandra R. (OLA) Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 201707 PM 7: To: Uriarte, Carlos (ODAG) <[email protected]>; Elias, John (OAAG) <[email protected]>; Aguilar, Rita (OAAG) <[email protected]>; Werner, Sharon (OAG) <[email protected]> Subject: Partial Sessions Hearing Transcript For your reference, I’ve attached a partial transcript of the Sessions hearing, as much as CQ has produced thus far. I’ll update with a final version once it’s available, likely sometime tomorrow. Best, Alex Lichtenstein Confidential Assistant to the Assistant Attorney General Office of Legislative Affairs U.S. Department of Justice| D:202-514-4828 [email protected] Document ID: 0.7.2651.5517 Senate Judiciary Committee Holds Hearing on Sessions Nomination January10, 2017 GRASSLEY: Before we actually start the hearing,I'm goingto give apoint of personal privilege to former chairman and myfriend, Senator Leahy, to speakfor afew seconds that he asked to do, andI think it's very appropriate that you do what you said you were goingto do. LEAHY: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I appreciate the courtesy. The Senate JudiciaryCommittee convenes for the first time in the 115thCongress;historic moment in the committee's 200year history. Last week, Senator Dianne Feinstein was named the committee's RankingMember, the first time in American history that awoman has servedin this capacity, andhavingbeen either chairman or rankingmember for the past 20years, Ican't think of anybodybetter. It is strikingthat 352 members have served on the committee and onlyfive of those happened to be Democrats, have been women. Three of those five women are proudly servingon this important committee today;Senator Feinstein, Senator Klobuchar, Senator Hirono. So, after my at least 20 years, I--Iwelcome Senator Feinstein. We grapple (ph) with some of the most pressingissues facingour country. We Americans can be proud that she's here. And I applaud you for this. FEINSTEIN: Thank you. Thank you (inaudible). GRASSLEY: Thank you, Senator Leahy. Good morning.Iwelcome everyone to this veryimportant hearingto consider the nomination of our colleague, Senator Sessions, to serve as the 84th attorneygeneral of the UnitedStates. GRASSLEY: First, Iwant to set out acouple ofground rules. Iwant to handle this hearingthe same way that I handled the hearingfor AttorneyGeneral Lynch's nomination and it's also the same way that Chairman Leahyhandledprevious hearings. Iwant everyone to be able to watch the hearingwithout obstruction. Ifpeople stand up and block the views of those behind them or speak out of turn, it's simply not fair, it's simply not considerate to others, so officers willimmediately remove those individuals. Now, before my openingstatement, let me explain how we willproceed. Senators Feinstein andI will give our openingremarks. Then, Senators Shelby andCollins willintroduce the nominee. Following Senator Sessions' openingremarks, we'll begin our first round of questions. Document ID: 0.7.2651.5517-000001 EachSenator will have an initial 10 minute rounds for questions. After the first round, we're goingto do eight minute rounds ofquestion. Iwant everyone to know that I'm prepared to stayhere as long as members have questions that they'dlike to ask. Again, that's the wayIhandled AttorneyGeneral Lynch's nomination. Ithink that's the most fair way to proceedfor both members as well as our distinguished nominee. Iwelcome our new members to this committee. Ilookforward to workingwith all of the new members as well as the ones that are repeatingservingon this committee. I'd also like to recognize and welcome anumber ofimportant audience members;Former AttorneyGeneralMeese and Mukasey and also our former colleague Senator Kyl, a former member of this committee andI see the attorneygeneral for Ohio's here as well, aformer colleague of ours. Finally, before my openingremarks, Icongratulate Senator Feinstein on your appointment - to the - and the decision to take over the rankingmembership. We've always had agood working relationship throughseveral thingswe've done bothlegislatively and as leaders of the drugcaucus and I appreciate very much the opportunity to work with you. Thank you. With that, I'll now start my openingcomments. Our hearingtodayhardlyintroduces Senator Sessions to the committee. No. We're here today to review the character and the qualifications of a colleague who has served alongside us in the Senate for 20years. That includes his time as a rankingmember of this committee. We know him well. We know the policypositions he's taken as a legislator. I've been on both sides of debates with this distinguishedSenator Sessions. Havingserved with him for so long,we pretty wellknow whether he supports your policypositions or oppose them. He tells us so with his usual thoughtfulness, humility, and more importantly, respect. As a former chairman of this committee has put it, Senator Sessions is quote, unquote, "wonderful to work with." We know him to be as --as another senior Democrat on this committee describedhim, quote, unquote, "a man ofhis word." As athird senior colleague put it, aDemocrat as well, he g is always a entleman. He is straightforward and fair. Most of all, the members of this committee know him to be aleader who has served the people of Alabama and all Americans withintegrity, with dedication, and with courage. That describes how Iknow the nominee for the 20years that I've served with him. As Former Chairman Leahy observed the last time anew president took office, it's, quote, "important that the Justice Department have a senior leadershipin place without delay. We need the Justice Department to be at its best," end ofquote. Perhaps mygoodfriendSenator Schumer saidit best when he observed that we should, quote, "move to avote hopefully sooner rather than later," end ofquote. And when we do as he said, we, quote, "won't be votingfor or against the president's policies. We'll be voting" --or in summary, Senator Schumer said "we'llbe votingfor a colleague witha first-rate al leg mind, whose record proves his commitment to just law enforcement and eminentlyqualified to lead the Department of Justice." GRASSLEY: I've been encouragedby the initial support many our of uescolleag on both sides of the aisle have expressedfor Senator Sessions nomination. So Ilookforward to hearingfrom Senator Sessions and movingto his appointment without delay. Senator Sessions' recordis alife of public service, and so we know his story. He was raised on a small town ofHybart, Alabama, where his father owned and ran asmall country store. He then Document ID: 0.7.2651.5517-000001 studied at Huntington College and the University ofAlabama before practicinglaw in Russellville and Mobile. Senator Sessions has always been an active member of his community. He taught schoolbefore attendinglaw school and taught Sunday school at AshlandPlace Methodist Church. He served our nation in the ArmyReserve, attainingthe rank of captain. After his time in private practice, Senator Sessions served as an assistantU.S. attorney --attorneyin the Southern district of Alabama. He then headed that office after the Senate confirmedhim for United ---U.S. Attorney, apost he heldfor adozen years. So all told, this Senator, colleague of ours, has served15 years as afederal prosecutor in the department that he will soon head. It was duringthat time that he oversaw the investigation ofklansman Francis Hays for the brutal abduction and murder black of a teenag er MichaelDonald. He made sure casethat brougwas to ht state court, where the defendant was eligible for and received the punishment that he justly deserved, the deathpenalty. His office then successfullyprosecuted that murderer's accomplice in federal court. Based on his prosecutorial record, the people of Alabama electedhim their attorneygeneral and then their senator. He has served with us since 1997. And as our former chairman of(inaudible), this committee has relied on him for his prosecutorial experience duringthe course ofhis Senate service. Throughout his public service, both within the department, outside of the department, he has raised his hand and served when called upon. He has done his duty, enforced the law fairly and let the chips fall where they may. Reflectingon this record of service, it's no surprise then, that Senator Sessions was also Eag an le Scout. Other members of this committee know as Ido, that the Scout's motto, "be prepared", sets on his desk in his Senate office. Senator Sessions' entire life of dedicated public service has preparedhim for this day. If he's confirmed, and I expect that he will be, Senator Sessions will shedhis role as alegislator who writes law and he'll take on the task of enforcingthe laws Congress has written. He has made this transition before when the people of Alabama electedhim their Senator based on his record of service as U.S. attorney andAlabama attorneygeneral. As one member of this committee observed about alawyer's transition into the role of a judge, quote, "there are turning points in aperson's life, when theyput away thingsof the past and move into new responsibilities." end of quote. Servingas our nation's attorneygeneral will mark another such turningpoint in Senator Sessions' distinguished career. And very member of this committee knows from experience, in his new role, Senator Sessions willbe a leader for law and order administered without regard to person. Leadership to that endis exactly what the department now needs. It should o gwithout sayingthat, the department is tasked with the responsibility of enforcingour laws --all of our laws, in adispassionate and even handed way.