Sen. Tim Scott, the only black Republican in the Senate, announced that he will support the nomination of Sen. Jeff Sessions for attorney general, The Hill reports.
Among the criticism of President-elect Donald Trump's choice for the country's top law enforcement position was that 30 years ago, the nomination of Sessions to become a federal judge was derailed by accusations of racism.
Scott said that due to that controversy, he paid particular attention to the nomination of Sessions for attorney general and even reviewed the facts from the 1986 scandal.
"While many of the allegations brought up 30 years ago were and are disputed, there are many facts that remain absolutely clear," Scott said in a statement.
"Jeff is committed to upholding the Constitution of the United States… We may not agree on everything ... [but] I have gotten to know Jeff over my four years in the Senate and have found him to be a consistently fair person."
Scott cited as evidence the fact that Sessions voted for Eric Holder, the first black attorney general, and also prosecuted a member of the Ku Klux Klan when he worked as a U.S. attorney.
Scott's announcement came just hours after another black senator, Democrat Cory Booker, said he would testify against Sessions during his confirmation hearing, which begins on Tuesday, The Huffington Post reports.
That would mark the first time ever that a sitting senator will testify against another sitting senator for a Cabinet post during a confirmation.
Earlier this week, CNN reported that Sessions received support from Condoleezza Rice, who was the first black female secretary of State.
Rice, who served in the administration of George W. Bush, said Sessions "is a man who is committed to justice" and has worked hard to heal the wounds in Alabama brought on by the "prejudice and injustice against the descendants of slaves."
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