I just want you to know that as a southerner, who actually saw discrimination and have no doubt it existed in a systematic and powerful and negative way to the people - great millions of people in the South, particularly, of America - I know that was wrong. I know we need to do better.

Jeff Sessions

Good people don't smoke marijuana.

Jeff Sessions

good-people marijuana people

We don't pay judges to think; we pay judges to rule on the law.

Jeff Sessions

judging law thinking

I am not stonewalling. I am following the historic policies of the Department of Justice.

Jeff Sessions

policy historic justice

The civil libertarians among us would rather defend the constitution than protect our nation's security.

Jeff Sessions

libertarian constitution protect

I understand Donald Trump's goals. That's why I supported him for president. I share his beliefs that we've got to do more about crime, more about illegal immigration, more about gangs and violence and it's an honor and a pleasure to be able to lead that effort.

Jeff Sessions

effort goal honor

I certainly believe that improving our intelligence is of important national interest.

Jeff Sessions

interest important believe

I deeply understand the history of civil rights and the horrendous impact that relentless and systemic discrimination and the denial of voting rights has had on our African-American brothers and sisters. I have witnessed it.

Jeff Sessions

impact brother rights

I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the [Donald] Trump campaign.

Jeff Sessions

trump meetings campaigns

We represent our constituents. And so they don't get to dictate policy.

Jeff Sessions

constituents policy

I am totally committed to maintaining the freedom and equality America has to provide to every citizen.

Jeff Sessions

maintaining citizens america

You're not supposed to be admitted to America if you're likely to be a charge on the public - if you're going to need government aid to take care of yourself ... It [2006 immigration bill] failed because it did not do what it said it would do... End the illegality first. Then we can wrestle with how to treat compassionately people who have been in America for a long time.

Jeff Sessions

government long america

Marriage has been defined by every legislature that has ever sat in the United States from every State, now 50 States, the same way, but now we have unelected judges altering and changing that fundamental institution.

Jeff Sessions

united-states marriage judging

Some of my best friends are FBI agents.

Jeff Sessions

fbi-agents agents my-best-friend

People of my generation knew we needed to move beyond that, the racial division and segregation and unsustainable social relations, that were unfair to millions of people. But it didn't mean that we were going to become a big government liberal.

Jeff Sessions

government mean moving

There was a resistance movement in the white community, and there was a determined civil rights movement by our neighbors and friends in the African-American community. They had right on their side. They conducted themselves in high standards, with courage and determination, and they were victorious. They overcame.

Jeff Sessions

determination rights white

Donald Trump can improve and get better as he goes along, and I think he will.

Jeff Sessions

trump get-better thinking

I just don't think there's that many people who think it's wrong to have control on our borders. That's not racism. It's not racism to question some of the political correctness today that's going on, to recognize that things are going as well as - for American workers, as they'd like, because people, their frustration is arising from a deep sense of unease that Washington is fiddling while their house is burning.

Jeff Sessions

frustration racism thinking

I noticed one thing. According to the ABA statistics, only 3.5 percent of lawyers in America in 2000 were Hispanic, yet they - Hispanics make up 5 percent of the federal district court judges and 6 percent of circuit court judges.

Jeff Sessions

court-judges judging america

I went to law school at Alabama and I grew up a loyal Auburn fan. I'm one of the few that wrestles with those issues sometimes, but we're really proud of them. Like the University of Alabama has almost doubled its enrollment.

Jeff Sessions

issues law school

I am not the Jeff Sessions my detractors have tried to create. I am not a racist. I am not insensitive to blacks.

Jeff Sessions

insensitive session racist