Archive for the ‘Rand Paul’ Category

Rand Paul: Sessions’s New Drug Policy is "Injustice" to Minorities – The Libertarian Republic

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by Micah J. Fleck

According to Rare:

Sen. Rand Paul has been one of the leading voices for criminal justice reform throughout his entire senate career, particularly of eliminating what he sees as draconian mandatory minimum sentencing laws. When Attorney General Jeff Sessions made it publicon Friday that he woulddirect federal prosecutors to seek the harshest sentences for non-violent drug offenders, the announcement drew a quick rebuke from Sen. Paul.

Paul added, Instead, we should treat our nations drug epidemic as a health crisis and less as a lock em up and throw away the key problem.

Sen. Paul wrote in a USA Today op-ed in 2013, Mandatory minimums most harm those lacking in the means to defend themselves. These laws disproportionately target the poor and minorities.

Getting rid of mandatory minimums simply means allowing judges to use their discretion in sentencing, rather than having to follow the current, draconian federal parameters that are totally detached from the very human situation at hand, Paul added.

Is this Senator Pauls new claim to fame? He has been at this issue for some time now, and it always wins bipartisan support. Not to mention it is objectively noble across the board. Word of advice to Senator Paul: if you run for president again Run on this, not on your weird, divisive black market baby parts mantra.

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Rand Paul: Sessions's New Drug Policy is "Injustice" to Minorities - The Libertarian Republic

Rand Paul Pans Sessions’ ‘Tough On Crime’ Prosecution Policy – WKU Public Radio

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul is criticizing Attorney General Jeff Sessions for directing federal prosecutors to charge defendants with the most serious crimes they can pursue.

The new guidelines are a departure from an Obama-era policy that eased prosecutions of people with non-violent drug offenses.

In 2013, then-Attorney General Eric Holder directed prosecutors to avoid charging people with crimes that carry mandatory minimum sentences, which require judges to impose lengthier prison terms.

In a statement, Paul said the reprisal of the tough on crime policy isnt a good idea.

Mandatory minimum sentences have unfairly and disproportionately incarcerated too many minorities for too long, Paul said. Attorney General Sessions new policy will accentuate that injustice. Instead, we should treat our nations drug epidemic as a health crisis and less as a lock em up and throw away the key problem.

Paul has pushed for reforms to the criminal justice system, including reduction of mandatory minimum sentences on drug crimes, expungement of felony records and restoration of voting rights, though the proposals havent garnered enough support to get a floor vote.

However, Paul voted in favor of Sessions confirmation earlier this year. Sessions has repeatedly criticized the Obama administration for being soft on crime and accused the former presidents policies of leading to violent crimes.

Sessions policy amounts to a return to strategies conceived under former Attorney General John Ashcroft, who directed federal prosecutors to charge people with the most serious crimes possible.

Under the Obama-era policy, defendants who didnt belong to large drug trafficking organizations qualified to be charged with crimes that didnt carry long mandatory minimum sentences.

This week, Sessions issued a memoto Department of Justice staff ordering federal prosecutors to charge and pursue the most serious, readily provable offense.

This policy affirms our responsibility to enforce the law, is moral and just, and produces consistency, Sessions wrote. This policy fully utilizes the tools Congress has given us.

Prosecutors who wish to not pursue the most serious charges possible would have to get approval from a U.S. attorney or assistant attorney general.

Kerry Harvey, who was the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Kentucky until earlier this year, said implementation of the policy will depend on each U.S. attorneys office.

But on the face of it you would expect that the sentences, particularly in drug trafficking cases, would be longer, Harvey said.

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Rand Paul Pans Sessions' 'Tough On Crime' Prosecution Policy - WKU Public Radio

Rand Paul: There are ‘rumors’ other presidential candidates under surveillance by the Obama admin. – Washington Times

Sen. Rand Paul said Thursday that another senator confided that he too was surveilled by the Obama administration.

I know one other senator has already confided in me that he was surveilled by the Obama administration, Mr. Paul, Kentucky Republican, said on Fox News.

Mr. Paul said two sources also have information that shows he was surveilled during the 2016 presidential campaign as well.

There are rumors about other people who ran for president as well, he said. Im concerned not only for myself but for Americans in general.

Mr. Paul also said he agrees with President Trumps decision to fire former FBI Director James B. Comey, and that there is more agreement on this issue than it may seem.

I think weve probably never had someone fired where both sides really agreed with the firing more than you can imagine, Mr. Paul, Kentucky Republican, said on CBS News.

He said the timing that many are calling suspicious actually makes sense considering the delays in the Trump administration confirmations.

We have the slowest approval of a Cabinet in the history in the country, Mr. Paul explained. When they did get in place, they did a review.

Mr. Paul said Mr. Comeys firing had nothing to do with the Russia investigation, but rather the agencys shortcomings under the FBI directors leadership, such as the Orlando shooting at a gay nightclub last year.

I think the FBI dropped the ball, Mr. Paul said. There were many warning signs.

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Rand Paul: There are 'rumors' other presidential candidates under surveillance by the Obama admin. - Washington Times

Paul Schools ‘Left-Wing Media’ Parroting Dem Talking Points on Comey – NewsBusters (blog)


NewsBusters (blog)
Paul Schools 'Left-Wing Media' Parroting Dem Talking Points on Comey
NewsBusters (blog)
Republican Senator Rand Paul nailed the liberal spin coming from CBS This Morning co-host Gayle King on Thursday, hammering the hypocrisy on the firing of James Comey. After King, who is also a Democratic donor, questioned the way in which Comey ...

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Paul Schools 'Left-Wing Media' Parroting Dem Talking Points on Comey - NewsBusters (blog)

Rand Paul on Hannity About Intelligence Community: ‘Worries Me’ That They’ve Gotten So Much Power – CNSNews.com (blog)


CNSNews.com (blog)
Rand Paul on Hannity About Intelligence Community: 'Worries Me' That They've Gotten So Much Power
CNSNews.com (blog)
On Sean Hannity's nationally syndicated radio talk show program Tuesday, Rand Paul discussed his concerns with the growing power of the U.S. intelligence agencies, saying, it worries me that the intelligence community in the United States has gotten ...

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Rand Paul on Hannity About Intelligence Community: 'Worries Me' That They've Gotten So Much Power - CNSNews.com (blog)