Members Call for Sessions to Clarify his Involvement with Investigation
Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions indicated that the Department of Justice will pursue criminal charges to curb the number of alleged leaks of classified information from within the government. The statement raises questions about the scope of the Attorney General’s recusal from matters related to the presidential campaigns, and whether that recusal continues to apply to investigation of the many contacts between the Trump campaign and Putin’s Russia.
Earlier this week, the House Committee on the Judiciary considered H. Res. 184, a resolution of inquiry introduced by Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), that would have directed the Department of Justice to turn over information related to the Attorney General’s misleading testimony and the pattern of connections between President Trump’s advisers and the Russian government. That resolution was defeated on a party line vote.
Dean of the U.S. House of Representatives John Conyers, Jr.
Today, Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), joined by Reps. Jeffries and Lieu, wrote to the Attorney General, below, to ask for clarification on his comments. The members also released the following statement:
“Given the Attorney General’s troubling record on his own contacts with the Russian government, and given the Trump Administration’s apparent attempt to obstruct the work of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence by coopting its Chairman, it seems entirely inappropriate for him to comment on any aspect of these alleged leaks of classified information. It is critical that Attorney General Sessions clarify the precise scope of his recusal. We look forward to his prompt response to our letter.”
Dean of the U.S. House
of Representatives
John Conyers, Jr.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I support this resolution of inquiry, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.
It is the responsibility of this Committee to conduct oversight of the Office of the Attorney General, and to ensure the independence and integrity of the Department of Justice.
Despite protests that this resolution is somehow not yet ripe, H. Res. 184 (below) is the proper next step in exercising those responsibilities.
Since the Attorney General took office, my colleagues and I have written to the Department at least six times.
We have asked for information about conflicts of interest, the Russia investigation, and reports of inappropriate contact between the White House and the FBI. To date, we have received no response.
We have also written to you, Mr. Chairman, on two occasions, about related matters. We have received no response there, either.
At our February markup of the Nadler resolution, both Chairman Goodlatte and Mr. Issa spoke at length about a letter they planned to send the Attorney General. It was described as the “proper” way to conduct oversight. We were promised an opportunity to join.
But no letter to the Attorney General was ever sent. Instead, the Majority wrote to the FBI, asking for a member briefing that still has not taken place. We did not learn of the letter until we read about it in the press.
Our responsibility to this Committee requires more of us, Mr. Chairman. H. Res. 184 is an opportunity to correct course and do our jobs.
The resolution is also a chance to answer questions about the Attorney General’s false statements before the Senate.
H. Res. 184 asks for information about the Attorney General’s meetings with Russian officials, his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and his later “clarification” of that testimony.
This information is critical to understanding why Attorney General Sessions twice gave false testimony, and whether his attempt to correct that false testimony is adequate.
I find it hard to believe that Attorney General Sessions—at the time, a sitting senator, and an active member of the Trump campaign—was unaware of reports about the campaign’s connections to the Russian government until he was asked about it in the committee room.
I find it equally hard to understand why Attorney General Sessions, in “correcting” his testimony, disclosed two meetings with the Russian ambassador—but not to a third that is clearly documented in the public record.
Again, it is this Committee’s responsibility to ask these questions. We cannot and should not turn a blind eye to false testimony and an obviously incomplete record.
H. Res. 184 is the right vehicle to begin that inquiry here in our Committee.
Finally, this resolution helps us address a larger problem—one that seems to sweep in more people in the President’s orbit every day.
Why have so many of these men—each of them a part of the Trump campaign—met with the Russian government?
And, perhaps more importantly, why have so many of these men attempted to hide those meetings from the public?
To a character, it seems, they have only come clean when the media has exposed their deception.
I am deeply disturbed by this pattern, and what it might mean for our country.
In my time on this Committee, Mr. Chairman, I have come to understand that certain values transcend party.
These include: faith in democracy, love of country, and respect for the republican form of government guaranteed to us by our Constitution.
These values are under attack—not just here, but around the world—by a regime that believes only that might makes right.
We know that the government of Russia undermined our election. We know that they want to undermine the elections of our allies.
And, given what we know, it is incumbent on us to do something about it.
Here is our chance to begin that work in earnest.
I thank Mr. Jeffries and Mr. Lieu for introducing this resolution.
I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 184, and I yield back.
Washington, D.C. – On March 10, 2017, the Trump Department of Justice asked all 46 sitting U.S. attorneys to resign from office. At least one U.S. attorney resisted that request—and on March 11, 2017, President Trump fired Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Today, Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) together with Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), and Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) wrote to Attorney General Jeff Sessions to ask about his decision to fire these officials without warning, and without an apparent plan for their replacement. The members ask explicitly whether this course of action is related to any matter currently under investigation by a U.S. attorney’s office. The members also called on the Justice Department to provide a summary of all pending investigations involving members of the Trump Administration, campaign, transition or organization.
Washington, DC – After President Donald Trump and House Republicans’ calls to investigate leaks of classified information, all House Judiciary Committee Democrats, led by House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), today wrote to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General to call for an investigation into potential Trump Administration threats to whistleblowers. The letter also requests the DOJ Inspector General to investigate potential conflicts of interest that may arise with U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions leading the department’s investigation over these matters, given his close involvement with the Trump campaign.
Conyers and Jeffries said, “During Mr. Trump’s press conference yesterday he continued his angry and unhinged threats and attacks on the law enforcement and intelligence communities, only adding to our concerns about the conflicts with Attorney General Sessions. We therefore believe it is more important than ever that the Inspector General conduct this requested review.”
In their letter, the Members wrote, “Given the significance and magnitude of these developments, we believe it is appropriate that your office—in conjunction with other Offices of Inspectors General, if necessary—conduct an investigation into the following matters:
§Whether the Trump Administration has engaged in any improper effort to intimidate or threaten whistleblowers under your jurisdiction, or others who are seeking to expose misconduct by Trump Administration officials.
§Whether U.S. Attorney General Sessions has any conflict of interest, or should recuse himself from the Department’s investigation into these matters, given his involvement in the Trump campaign and his personal relationship with former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.”
Today’s letter was signed by every Democratic member of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, including: Representatives John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Karen Bass (D-CA), Cedric Richmond (D-LA), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), David Cicilline (D-RI), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Brad Schneider (D-IL).
Washington, DC – All House Judiciary Democrats, led by Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), today renewed their request to have House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) hold hearings to examine the federal conflicts-of-interest and ethics laws that may apply to President Donald Trump.
Today’s letter was signed by every Democratic member of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, including: Representatives John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Judy Chu (D-CA), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Karen Bass (D-CA), Cedric Richmond (D-LA), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), David Cicilline (D-RI), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA).
Washington, DC—Today, Reps. John Conyers, Jr., Ranking Member of the House Committee on Judiciary, Elijah E. Cummings, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Jason Chaffetz, Chairman of the Oversight Committee Stephen F. Lynch, and Hakeem Jeffries, introduced H. R. 5920, theWhistleblower Protections for Contractors Act, to expand whistleblower protections to additional federal contractors and grantees.
Dean of the U.S. House of Representatives John Conyers, Jr.
“Whistleblowers are the front line of defense against waste, fraud, and abuse," the Members said. "The employees who work on federal contracts and grants see firsthand when taxpayer money is being wasted, and they must be protected against retaliation when they blow the whistle on wrongdoing. This bill makes such protections permanent and ensures more employees are covered.”
H.R. 5920 is a companion bill to S. 795, introduced by Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Mo) and cosponsored by Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI), and gives subgrantees and personal services contractors the same whistleblower protections currently given to contractors, grant recipients, and subcontractors. This bill also makes existing protections permanent for civilian contractors and grantees
Bill is part of the House Judiciary Committee’s criminal justice reform initiative
Washington, D.C. – The House Judiciary Committee today approved by voice vote the Corrections and Recidivism Reduction Act (H.R. 759) to reform the federal prison system, strengthen public safety, enhance prison security, provide inmates the help they need, and protect civil liberties. This legislation is one of many bills that have been approved by the House Judiciary Committee as part of its bipartisan criminal justice reform initiative.
At the markup, the Committee adopted a bipartisan amendment in the nature of a substitute that was offered by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Ranking Member John Conyers (D-Mich.), Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Subcommittee Ranking Member Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), Representative Cedric Richmond (D-La.), Representative Doug Collins (R-Ga.), Representative Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Representative Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), and Representative Karen Bass (D-Calif.).
Below are statements from the authors of the legislation praising today’s Committee approval of the bill.
Dean of the U.S. House
of Representatives
John Conyers, Jr.
Ranking Member Conyers: “I am pleased that the Committee has continued its work on criminal justice reform legislation by approving a bipartisan bill to reform our federal prisons. This bill will provide a meaningful opportunity to many offenders to reduce their time in prison through successful participation in various programs that will reduce their risk of recidivism. For too long, our prisons have simply warehoused individuals whom we know will eventually return to society and, for their benefit and ours, it simply makes sense that we provide incentives for prisoners to be better prepared to re-enter and be productive members of their communities. Adoption of this bill by the Committee is a good first step toward making our federal prison system more humane, more effective, and less costly. I look forward to House consideration of this and other criminal justice reform bills.”
Chairman Goodlatte: “Today the House Judiciary Committee approved another important component of its bipartisan criminal justice reform initiative. The Corrections and Recidivism Reduction Act makes meaningful reforms to the prison system that strengthen the safety of our communities and provide inmates the help that they need while in prison to help them better reenter society upon their release. I thank the many members that have worked on this bill and look forward to continue working on other issues facing the criminal justice system.”
Rep. Chaffetz: “It is not enough to be tough on crime. We have to be smart on crime. More than 95 percent of people that go to prison will be released. Our collective goal should be to lower the recidivism rates and prepare inmates to integrate back into our communities. We all benefit if inmates gain marketable skills rather than criminal insights during their sentence. This legislation will facilitate integration while saving taxpayers money.”
Crime Subcommittee Ranking Member Jackson Lee: “Recidivism is a multi-tiered problem with no easy answer. The legislation passed by the committee today is an excellent first step in the direction to helping former inmates. The bill reflects many of the provisions that I fought for including parenting skills and re-entry plans to name a few. Many factors go into a former inmate’s decision to re-offend after release. It is important to note, however, that there have been many studies showing prison programs systems which provide institutional programming have lower recidivism rates among those who are released. Prison programs such as anger management, vocational skills training, educational opportunities, and even trauma support groups are vital to ensuring inmates who are reintroduced to the general population have the life skills necessary to stay on the right path. I look forward to this bill passing the House and going to the President’s desk for his signature.”
Crime Subcommittee Chairman Sensenbrenner: “The Corrections and Recidivism Reduction Act is an important component of our broad criminal justice reform efforts. Ensuring prisoners make a smooth transition from incarceration back into the population is imperative for strong families, strong communities, and long-term success. This bill will reduce the amount of taxpayer money spent on our broken federal prison system, make neighborhoods safer, and provide individuals with the tools they need to stay out of prison and be productive members of society.”
Rep. Richmond: “Being serious about reducing the prison population starts with making the necessary investment to rehabilitate and prepare inmates to lead productive lives once they return home. Increasing access to proven recidivism risk reduction programs will equip them with life skills that help keep ex-offenders from falling back into the same bad choices that landed them in prison in the first place. I’m proud to join my colleagues in getting the federal government out of the business of warehousing inmates and into the business of reforming and rehabilitating people.”
Rep. Collins: “Reducing the likelihood of recidivism through these reforms will be a step toward ending the vicious cycle in which so many former inmates find themselves trapped. The transforming power of a second chance is something I have seen during my time in the ministry. Giving qualified, low-risk offenders increased access to rehabilitative programs during and after their sentences will ultimately help lead them to live productive lives outside prison and increase public safety. This legislation also includes a provision that I co-authored to protect the fundamental right of attorney-client privilege by ensuring that electronic communications are treated the same way as other forms of privileged communication between an inmate and their legal representative. I believe all Americans have a right to legal representation, and interfering with that would be a violation of their Constitutional rights. These common sense reforms will save taxpayers money, while making our criminal justice system more effective.”
Rep. Jeffries: “We have a badly broken criminal justice system in America that has decimated countless families and wasted millions of taxpayer dollars. This bill is a significant first step in the right direction with respect to encouraging rehabilitation, promoting successful re-entry and improving the efficient administration of government funding. The country will be a better place when this legislation is enacted into law.”
Rep. Gowdy: “H.R. 759 is an important step toward creating a smarter and more effective federal prison system. It incentivizes individuals to take steps to reduce their risk of ending up back in federal prison while implementing new policies to enhance public safety and prison security. It also protects inmates’ civil liberties by respecting attorney-client privilege in electronic communications. I thank my colleagues for their hard work on this bipartisan legislation and look forward to continuing to work with them to improve our federal prison system.”
Rep. Bass: “Restraining pregnant inmates, especially when they are giving birth, is barbaric. It is ludicrous to think that a woman prisoner giving birth would be at risk of escaping. I am glad that the final bill contains language that I authored that will prevent women prisoners from being restrained unnecessarily while they are pregnant or giving birth. Several states have already outlawed this practice, and the federal government should as well.”
Key Components of Corrections and Recidivism Reduction Act:
Strengthens Public Safety:
·The Corrections and Recidivism Reduction Act implements a post-sentencing dynamic risk assessment system to determine an inmate’s risk of committing more crimes upon release from prison. Under the legislation, the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) would utilize effective recidivism reduction programs and provide incentives for inmates to participate in those programs. Ultimately, inmates could earn credits toward an alternative custody arrangement – such as a halfway house or home confinement – at the end of their prison sentence.
·Renders criminals convicted of certain serious offenses ineligible for the alternative custody program, including dangerous sexual offenders, murderers, and others.
Enhances Prison Security:
·The bill authorizes the Director of BOP to issue pepper spray to those employed in a prison above the medium security level.
·The bill requires the Director of BOP to provide a secure storage area outside the secure perimeter for employees to store firearms or to allow for vehicle lock boxes for firearms.
·The bill requires the Director of BOP to provide de-escalation training as part of the regular training requirements of correctional officers.
Provide Inmates the Help They Need:
·The bill requires BOP to initiate pilot programs for youth mentorship and the training and therapy of rescue dogs.
·It requires BOP to submit a report and evaluation of the current pilot program to treat heroin and opioid abuse through medication assisted treatment.
·The bill extends the compassionate elderly release provision from the Second Chance Act that allows the prisoner to request for his or her compassionate release if he or she meets the requirements set out in the law.
·The bill codifies BOP’s rules on using restraints on pregnant inmates, which generally prohibit the use of restraints on pregnant inmates except those who are an immediate and credible flight risk or threat of harm to herself, the baby, or others.
Protects Civil Liberties:
·The bill prevents BOP from monitoring the contents of electronic communications to or from a prisoner in a federal prison facility and his attorney or other legal representative. The bill contains an exception when BOP obtains a court order to monitor electronic communications for the purpose of entering it into evidence, or use or disclose, the contents of the communications.
Learn more about the House Judiciary Committee’s criminal justice reform initiative here.
WASHINGTON – Today, several Members of the House Judiciary Committee issued a letter to Roger Goodell, Commissioner of the National Football League (NFL), raising questions related to their handling of the Ray Rice domestic violence incident.
The letter is signed by House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers Jr. (MI-13), Reps. Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), Luis Gutierrez (IL-04), Zoe Lofgren (CA-19), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Cedric L. Richmond (LA- 02), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson Jr. (GA-04), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Judy Chu (CA-27), Karen Bass (CA-37), Suzan K. DelBene (WA-01) and Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08).
