Press Releases

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree released the following statement today on President-elect Trump’s decision to offer the position of Attorney General to Senator Jeff Sessions and National Security Advisor to Michael Flynn. 

“As with the appointment earlier this week of Steve Bannon—with his far-right fringe views and slandering of Jews, Muslims, women and other Americans—these announcements of candidates for President-elect Trump's cabinet are disturbing. 

“Senator Jeff Sessions has a clear right-wing conservative vision of the judiciary that will include a crack down on women’s rights, unreasonable views on immigration, policies against any gun reforms, and will reverse the progress we have made over the past eight years in improving our civil rights laws.  It is beyond belief that Trump would suggest a man for Attorney General who has had a checkered past on racial issues, and has tacitly supported racial fringe organizations.

"Further, although I commend the military service of Michael Flynn, it’s clear that he has extremist views on the immigration of Muslims, religious intolerance, and will put America's national security at risk. The fact that he has possible ties to Russian President Putin is one of many reasons to be concerned.
 
"Again, these picks further exemplify the problems we have with President-elect Trump's vision for America.  I call on him to reconsider these choices and I call on the Senate to take a very careful look at these nominees."