Jeff Sessions Faces Testimony From Corey Booker At Confrimation Hearing

Sen. Corey Booker testified Wednesday against his colleague Sen. Jeff Sessions in the second day of confirmation hearings and testimony for the position of Donald Trump's attorney general.

Booker's testimony marks the first time a sitting senator has testified against a colleague in a confirmation hearing. Sessions is a Republican, and Booker is a Democrat.

He spoke passionately, arguing that Sessions would not protect vulnerable groups that face unique struggles with the justice system.

"Sessions will be required to defend women, gays, and voting rights, but his record indicates that he won't," he said.

“Senator Sessions has not demonstrated a commitment to a central requirement of the job: to aggressively pursue the congressional mandate of civil rights, equal rights, and justice for all,” Booker continued. “In fact, at numerous times in his career, he has demonstrated a hostility toward these convictions and has worked to frustrate attempts to advance these ideals.”

Representative John Lewis, a legendary civil rights activist, testified next, and targeted Sessions' praise for law and order. Recounting his past growing up in Alabama, experiencing expansive discrimination, marching for civil rights and being attacked by police during peaceful protests in the run up to the voting rights act.

"We don't want to go back, we want to go forward," he said. "We need someone who is going to stand up, speak up, and speak out, for people who have been discriminated against."

He continued: "We need someone as attorney General who is going to stand up for all of us, not some of us."

When Representative Cedric Richmond testified he said that the fact that the testimony was pushed to the end of the hearings amounted to being forced to the back of the bus. He shared Booker's and Lewis's views that Sessions threatens civil rights.

"Senator Sessions has advanced an agenda that will do great harm to African American citizens and communities," he said.

Richmond noted that Sessions has "opposed common-sense bipartisan criminal justice reform," and urged the senators to vote against the nominee. "Be courageous or be complicit," he said.

Others spoke to in the hearing to defend Sessions qualifications for attorney general.

Willie Huntley, a lawyer who worked with Sessions in Alabama, testified to support Sessions' appointment. He told of a close relationship with the senator, and their work together on civil rights cases, including a case of unjust use of force by a police officer. He defended the quality of Sessions' character.

"Jeff Sessions will enforce and follow the laws of the United States evenhandedly, equally, and with justice for all," Huntley said.

Jesse Seroyer, another longtime colleague of Sessions', also testified in favor of the senator.

"I've know Jeff Sessions for 20 years," he said. "He's a good man. He believes in law and order for everybody."

William Smith, also a friend who worked with Sessions as an aide over the years, echoed similar views of the Senator. Notably, Smith mentioned eating at Johnny Rockets and having milkshakes with the nominee. He called the allegations of racism against Sessions had been disproven and told the media it was time to move on, urging observers to look at the man's record.

He called Sessions a "brilliant legal mind; a man of the highest character and great of integrity."

"I doubt any one of those individuals attacking Senator Sessions, outside of yesterday, has spent 30 minutes in the same room as him," Smith said. "I know a racist when I see one, I've seen more than one, but Jeff Sessions is not one."

Watch the testimony below:

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore