WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin met with Donald Trump attorney general nominee Jeff Sessions Wednesday and called him a “valued friend and colleague” but that he should be treated like every other nominee who comes to Capitol Hill.
The Daily Caller caught a quick glimpse of Sessions as he left the Capitol Wednesday and the Alabama Republican, who did not take questions from reporters, appeared upbeat as he climbed on to a Senate train. Sessions only smiled when TheDC asked if he is finding out who is real friends are.
Durbin called Sessions a “man of his word” in 2010 during the confirmation hearing of Elena Kagan to be an associate justice of the Supreme Court.
When asked by TheDC why Democratic members, who have known him for years and praised him in the past, are treating him like a suspicious stranger, Durbin responded, “He’s not only a valued friend and colleague. He is aspiring to one of the highest cabinet positions in America. It is a new role and a new responsibility and we were told under the Constitution to advise and consent when it came to that charge.”
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of State John Kerry were both warmly received by their colleagues at their respective confirmation hearings for secretary of state.
“Every nominee should be treated in a way so that we can stand up and honestly say we asked the important questions and so we knew whether that person could honestly do the job,” Durbin said, adding he was not on the committee to confirm Clinton.
“I don’t know how she was treated. I assume it was with courtesy and that’s exactly what Jeff Sessions will receive,” he said.
Durbin noted that Sessions’ paperwork is still incomplete but stated, “Maybe he’ll fill it in before and I think they’re waiting on some basics like the FBI report but that’s not unusual to get that at the last minute. So it could be he’ll have everything on file on time. I hope he does.”
Democrats have gone after Sessions and other Trump nominees for not turning in questionnaires or additional information on themselves. But when asked by TheDC if it mattered that now former Attorney General Eric Holder did not turn in required confirmation hearing paperwork until long after he was confirmed, Durbin replied, “I just don’t know. I heard he did, but I don’t know. I don’t know personally.”