AG Jeff Sessions: I'm Not Sure If Federal Workers Can Discriminate Against LGBTs

Attorney General Jeff Sessions

According to testimony before U.S. Senate Oversight Committee, Attorney General Jeff Sessions isn't sure if federal workers can or cannot blatantly discriminate against LGBT people.

From Dominic Holden at ThinkProgress:

During Wednesday’s Justice Department Oversight Hearing, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions about the Department of Justice’s new “religious freedom” guidance. In particular, Durbin was concerned about how the guidance might enable anti-LGBTQ discrimination, asking Sessions to respond to several hypotheticals.

“Could a social security administration employee refuse to accept or process spousal or survivor benefits paperwork for a surviving same-sex spouse?” Durbin asked.

There was a long pause. “That’s something I never thought would arise, but I would have to give you a written answer to that, if you don’t mind.” Sessions responded.

Durbin countered, “I’d like to have that,” then launched right into another hypothetical. “Could a federal contractor refuse to provide services to LGBTQ people, including in emergencies, without risk of losing federal contracts?”

“Likewise, but I would say to you — are you citing Title VII for this? Or the guidance? I’m not sure that’s covered by it, but I’ll look.”

Sessions is famously anti-LGBT on just about every issue.

Watch the exchange below.

Durbin: Does religious liberty guidance let fed workers & contractors refuse LGBT people?

Sessions: [4 second pause] I'll get back to you. pic.twitter.com/E67XzDxh9e

— Dominic Holden (@dominicholden) October 18, 2017