Kennedy to nominee: here is your signature. Release max possible? Release all Migrants

Senator Kennedy confronted Professor Sarah French Russell, a nominee to be United States District Judge for the District of Connecticut, over a controversial letter she had signed in 2020, which she had not disclosed to the committee. The letter called for the immediate release of incarcerated individuals, a moratorium on new admissions into jails and prisons, and the release of illegal aliens. Russell says she does not recall signing the letter that called on Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont to, Sen. Kennedy said, “release everybody in jails” and “stop arresting people.”

“If you believe that, how are you going to ever sentence anybody to jail, professor?” Mr. Kennedy asked.

Professor Russell, defended herself, stating, “If I were so fortunate to be confirmed as a judge .

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Kennedy to nominee: here is your signature. Release max possible? Release all Migrants

Key Points

Senator Kennedy confronted Professor Sarah French Russell, a nominee to be United States District Judge for the District of Connecticut, over a controversial letter she had signed in 2020, which she had not disclosed to the committee

• The letter called for the immediate release of incarcerated individuals, a moratorium on new admissions into jails and prisons, and the release of illegal aliens
• Russell says she does not recall signing the letter that called on Connecticut Gov
• Kennedy said, “release everybody in jails” and “stop arresting people

Transcript Highlights

Transcribed from the video audio:

• So I don’t recall sitting here today, Senator
• Why didn’t you turn this over to us when you were asked to submit documents
• So Senator, I made every effort to search for everything that I had ever signed
• That’s not a letter I remember, but I will certainly take a look at that
• We found it with a search on the internet
• In your letter to the governor, prisons and jails are detrimental to public health and human rights and disproportionately harm marginalized communities, including black, brown, indigenous, and other communities of color, immigrants and people experiencing houselessness and poverty
• So if you believe that about our prisons, how are you gonna ever send somebody to prison
• So Senator, I will need to take a look at that letter and I apologize that that’s not something I found to hand to this committee
• You know what, I didn’t mind you said that
• I do need to see the letter to see the context because again, it’s not something I remember adding my name to