![]() A person who has exhibited so much hostility to the enforcement of those laws, and thus, to the exercise of those rights by Black people should not be elevated to the federal bench. It has been a long up-hill struggle to keep alive the vital legislation that protects the most fundamental right to vote. Particularly in the South, efforts continue to be made to deny Blacks access to the polls, even where Blacks constitute the majority of the voters. However, Blacks still fall far short of having equal participation in the electoral process. This would not have been possible without the Voting Rights Act. The number of Blacks registered to vote in key Southern states has doubled since 1965. Hogue, and others as Martin predicted, continued “to direct the drive for votes and other rights.” In the years since the Voting Rights Act was passed, Black Americans in Marion, Selma and elsewhere have made important strides in their struggle to participate actively in the electoral process. This organization, the Perry County Civic League, started by Mr. ln fact, Martin anticipated from the depth of their commitment twenty years ago, that a united political organization would remain in Perry County long after the other marchers had left. Where Birmingham depended largely upon students and unemployed adults (to participate in non-violent protest of the denial of the franchise), Selma has involved fully 10 percent of the Negro population in active demonstrations, and at least half the Negro population of Marion was arrested on one day.” Martin was referring of course to a group that included the defendants recently prosecuted for assisting elderly and illiterate blacks to exercise that franchise. As he wrote, “Certainly no community in the history of the Negro struggle has responded with the enthusiasm of Selma and her neighboring town of Marion. Martin was particularly impressed by the determination to get the franchise of blacks in Selma and neighboring Perry County. I was privileged to join Martin and many others during the Selma to Montgomery march for voting rights in 1965. The Voting Rights Act was, and still is, vitally important to the future of democracy in the United States. Attorney, from his politically motivated voting fraud prosecutions to his indifference toward criminal violations of civil rights laws, indicates that he lacks the temperament, fairness and judgment to be a federal judge. Sessions has used the awesome power of his office to chill the free exercise of the vote by black citizens in the district he now seeks to serve as a federal judge. My longstanding commitment which I shared with my husband, Martin, to protect and enhance the rights of Black Americans, rights which include equal access to the democratic process, compels me to testify today.Ĭivil rights leaders, including my husband and Albert Turner, have fought long and hard to achieve free and unfettered access to the ballot box. Chairman and Members of the Committee: Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to express my strong opposition to the nomination of Jefferson Sessions for a federal district judgeship for the Southern District of Alabama. Statement of Coretta Scott King on the Nomination of Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III for the United States District Court Southern District of Alabama I do sincerely urge you to oppose the confirmation of Mr. Sessions’ confirmation and I request that my statement as well as this letter ‘be made a part of the’ hearing record. However, I have attached a copy of my statement opposing Mr. I regret that a long-standing commitment prevents me from appearing in person to testify against this nominee. Sessions has used the awesome powers of his office in a shabby attempt to intimidate and frighten elderly black voters.įor this reprehensible conduct, he should not be rewarded with a federal judgeship. My professional and personal roots in Alabama are deep and lasting.Īnyone who has used the power of his office as United States Attorney to intimidate and chill the free exercise of the ballot by citizens should not be elevated to our courts. Sessions as a federal district court judge for the Southern District of Alabama. I write to express my sincere opposition to the confirmation of Jefferson B. By Wednesday afternoon, her video had been viewed more than seven million times. She later read it in full on Facebook Live, uninterrupted. Warren did not read aloud, and the statement, part of which Ms. The statement consists of two parts: a cover letter addressed to Mr.
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