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The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

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Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

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NC Senator Tillis Could Halt Jeff Sessions Vote

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Tuesday, January 31, 2017   

HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. - The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote Tuesday on Sen. Jeff Sessions' nomination to serve as U.S. Attorney General.

While his nomination has drawn criticism and concern from the start, civil-rights groups argue there are additional reasons why a vote should be delayed. The last hearing on Sessions was held on January 10th, long before President Trump's controversial executive orders on immigration.

Scott Simpson, spokesman for the Leadership Council on Civil and Human Rights, explains why one of North Carolina's U.S. Senators could instigate a delay until lawmakers can ask Sessions about the recent developments.

"The Senate Judiciary Committee needs to have a delay," he said. "Thom Tillis, your North Carolina Senator, is a member of that committee. He could easily ask for a delay until we find out answers to these questions. He has not yet done so."

Attempts to reach Sen. Tillis, a Republican, regarding this story at one of his six offices were unsuccessful.

On Monday 189 national advocacy groups called for the committee vote on Sessions' nomination to be delayed, given the lack of information on Sessions' positions.

Simpson says knowing where Senator Sessions stands on issues that impact the civil rights of groups is key to understanding his qualifications for the job.

"The attorney general is the people's lawyer, not the president's lawyer," he said. "Sen. Sessions, if confirmed, will be the attorney general, and he will be in charge of enforcing many parts of these laws, and if the Senate doesn't know how he plans to go about doing those things, it's a dereliction of duty."

In his first hearing, Sessions testified, "I have no belief and do not support the idea that Muslims as a religious group should be denied admission to the United States."

The groups calling for a delay of the vote want senators to ask him how he would handle Trump's recent announcements.

Reporting by North Carolina News Connection in association with Media in the Public Interest and funded in part by the Park Foundation.


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