Senators want to focus on hate crimes

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) yesterday led a group of 25 Senators in sending a letter to the Trump Administration, urging Attorney General Jeff Sessions to make combating hate crimes a major focus at the Department of Justice and request full funding for the Justice Department’s Community Relations Service and Civil Rights Division.

“Hate crimes and hate speech are surging across our nation-- aiming to intimidate and harm not only individuals but also entire communities. Traumatic threats and inexcusable forms of bigotry continue to engender fear and cause harm to Jews, Muslims, LGBT individuals, African-Americans, Latinos, Hindus, Sikhs and many more at alarming rates. The protection of civil rights is an imperative for the Justice Department, which must uphold its vital mission to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans,” said Blumenthal.

The letter was signed by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tom Carper (D-DE), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Al Franken (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Pat Leahy (D-VT), Edward Markey (D-MA), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

“We urge you to include full funding for the Justice Department’s Community Relations Service and Civil Rights Division, both as you work with Congress to address funding for the Department of Justice for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2017, and as you develop your Fiscal Year 2018 budget request. The Community Relations Service oversees a force of professional mediators and trainers charged with bringing together communities in conflict to help them enhance their ability through local, independent mechanisms to prevent and resolve existing and future concerns. The Civil Rights Division leads the Department’s efforts to uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans, and enforce federal civil rights and hate crimes laws. Together, these components of the Department play a critical role in addressing discrimination and bias-motivated crime in our country,” the Senators wrote. “We also believe it is imperative that you reaffirm the Department’s commitment to work with state and local officials in prosecuting hate crimes, in working with state and local jurisdictions to improve their assessment and reporting of such crimes, and to prosecute such crimes at the federal level when appropriate.”