Sen. Jeff Sessions received the support of former drug administration heads on Monday in his nomination for U.S. Attorney General, according to a letter sent to members of the Senate leadership.
"As you prepare for the upcoming Congress and for the impending nominations of President-elect Trump's Cabinet members," reads the letter, addressed to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, and ranking member Patrick Leahy.
"We write to express our strong support for the nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General of the United States. Senator Sessions' exemplary record during his long career in public service speaks to the leadership and sober dedication he would bring to the Department of Justice."
The letter, signed by three former directors of National Drug Control Policy - including Bill Bennett - and 5 former heads of the Drug Enforcement Administration, praises Sessions for his work as a senator and as Alabama Attorney General.
"His distinguished career as a prosecutor… earned him a reputation as a tough, determined professional who has been dedicated to the appropriate enforcement of the rule of law. His exemplary record of service in law enforcement demonstrates that he is a protector of civil rights and defender of crime victims."
Despite the praise from former government officials, Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the advocacy group Drug Policy Alliance, told Newsweek that the Alabama senator "is a drug war dinosaur, which is the last thing the nation needs now," and "the worst pick that Trump could have made for attorney general [when] it comes to marijuana issues."
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