The latest racially tinged comments by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions should give all people reason to worry. His decision to link the term “sheriff” to some part “of the Anglo-American heritage of law enforcement” is an unfortunate yet consistent aspect of the language coming out of the Department of Justice under his tenure and qualifies as the latest example of dog whistle politics.
The NAACP opposed the nomination of AG Sessions and continues to stand by our decades-long assessment that he is the wrong person for the nation to place in charge of enforcing our laws. His stances at DOJ regarding their reversal of support for cases against voter suppression, his attempted withdrawal from consent decrees to rein in police misconduct, and the decision to return to polices (including mandatory minimums) that played a key role in the expansion of mass incarceration are powerful examples of why communities of color must pay attention to what he does and what he says. More importantly, these examples serve as evidence and highlight why he remains unqualified to serve as the attorney general.
Derrick Johnson, president and CEO
NAACP
