US Senate confirms Jeff Sessions as attorney general despite protests over controversial past
Sessions takes charge of the Justice Department and its 113,000 employees, including the 93 US attorneys throughout the country
The US Senate confirmed Jeff Sessions as attorney general on Wednesday, despite vitriolic debate over his civil rights record and whether he can serve as the nation’s top law enforcement officer independent from President Donald Trump.
Lawmakers backed Senator Sessions as the 84th US attorney general on a mostly party line vote of 52 to 47, with just one Democrat – Joe Manchin of West Virginia – joining the Republican majority.
Sessions voted present, and when the tally was announced many senators broke into extended applause for their colleague.
He’s honest. He’s fair ... It’s been tough to watch all this good man has been put through in recent weeks
Trump has harangued Democrats for slow-walking his nominees, blasting their unprecedented obstruction as a “disgrace”.
He appeared particularly angered by the delay on Sessions, who as attorney general would wield enormous power regarding the administration of justice, including on the issue of voting rights.
Sessions, widely seen as an inspiration for Trump’s anti-immigration policies, is just the sixth of 15 cabinet members to be confirmed, in addition to the cabinet-rank positions of CIA director and US ambassador to the United Nations.
A day earlier senators broke into fiercely personal debate, which saw the Democrat Elizabeth Warren barred from speaking after she was deemed to have broken chamber rules on decorum.
Sessions takes charge of the Justice Department and its 113,000 employees, including the 93 US attorneys throughout the country.