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Trump selects Sen. Jeff Sessions as U.S. attorney general

FILE - In this Nov. 15, 2016 file photo, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., arrives at Trump Tower in New York. As one of President-elect Donald Trump’s closest and most consistent allies, Sessions is a likely pick for a top post in his administration. But the last time Sessions faced Senate confirmation it didn’t go well. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)
FILE - In this Nov. 15, 2016 file photo, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., arrives at Trump Tower in New York. As one of President-elect Donald Trump’s closest and most consistent allies, Sessions is a likely pick for a top post in his administration. But the last time Sessions faced Senate confirmation it didn’t go well. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File) FILE - In this Nov. 15, 2016 file photo, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., arrives at Trump Tower in New York. As one of President-elect Donald Trump’s closest and most consistent allies, Sessions is a likely pick for a top post in his administration. But the last time Sessions faced Senate confirmation it didn’t go well. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

By Associated Press 5 min read

Tri-state Republican politicians react

“Jeff Sessions is widely respected in the United States Senate and is a great choice for Attorney General of the United States. His years of expertise and respect for the rule of law will serve the country well as he assumes this important role in the Trump administration.” – U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn. “Jeff Sessions has been a friend and respected colleague for many years. By his service as United States Attorney and as United States Senator, he has earned the opportunity to be Attorney General of the United States.” – U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn. “Jeff’s legal career and experience make him a natural fit to lead our nation’s Justice Department.” U.S. Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga. “Jeff is a man of integrity who has been a trusted and valued partner of mine in the Senate as well as an unwavering voice for Alabamians.” – U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has selected Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions as his pick for attorney general, signaling a sharp break in philosophical direction from the Obama administration’s Justice Department.

The pick was disclosed Friday by a senior Trump official who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly about it. The official wouldn’t say whether Sessions had accepted the job, leaving open the possibility that the appointment wasn’t final.

Sessions, the first senator to endorse Trump and a Republican known for his support of tough immigration enforcement policies, would likely bring to the department a consistently conservative voice.

The former federal prosecutor has questioned whether terrorism suspects should receive the protection of the American court system, objected to the planned closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility and has given prominence to the specter of voting fraud, a problem that current Justice Department leadership believes is negligible.