washington bitterly divide u.s. senate confirm republican senator jeff sessions wednesday next attorney general unite state strong pushback democrats concern record civil right sessions 70 serve two decades senate alabama confirm 52-47 vote largely along party line democrats raise public opposition confirmation rare move senator recently confirm cabinet position sessions take floor chamber vote call members congress latitude relationships members party want thank find sufficient confidence confirm next attorney general sessions say denigrate people disagree us think healthy trend body say refer senate tuesday democratic senator elizabeth warren darling political leave silence senate read 1986 letter coretta scott king widow rev martin luther king jr. criticize sessions civil right record democrats civil right immigration group voice alarm sessions record controversial position race immigration criminal justice reform sessions attorney general eight president donald trump 22 cabinet nominees confirm republican-led senate also vote wednesday advance representative tom price nomination head u.s. department health human service senate likely vote confirm price friday sessions know immigration hardline take lead justice department lawyers defend trump temporary entry ban people seven predominantly muslim countries refugees controversial executive order young administration 9th u.s. circuit court appeal due rule week whether overrule district court judge seattle suspend ban last week civil right group worry justice department civil right division aggressive prosecute abuse sessions cite failure win senate confirmation become federal judge 1986 allegations make racist remark include testimony call african-american prosecutor boy allegation sessions deny sessions say hear 1986 group national association advancement color people american civil liberties union could consider un-american also acknowledge call vote right act 1965 piece intrusive legislation left-leaning center american progress think tank question whether sessions would independent legal voice challenge trump agenda trump show little respect court constitutional limit power reason think attorney general sessions act independent check president say michele jawando vice president legal progress think tank sessions push curb immigration unite state include enter legally work permit also vote many measure reduce sentence prisoners republican national committee push back call obstruct democrats democrats would try skew sessions strong civil right record consistent adherence rule law partisan effort block colleague nomination show commitment blindly obstruct administration republican national committee chairwoman ronna mcdaniel say sessions confirmation sessions confirm u.s. attorney general battle democrats