We learned this week that Attorney General Jeff Sessions did not respond truthfully when asked under oath during his confirmation hearing about previous contact with Russian officials. Interfaith Alliance president Rabbi Jack Moline issued the following statement in response:

“The Office of the Attorney General of the United States is not a political position, and anyone who holds it must have total fidelity to the laws and the Constitution of the United States.

“Among those laws is the requirement that those who testify in court and before Congress must take and uphold an oath to tell the truth. Attorney General Sessions has not told the truth under oath.

“The law makes no exception.

“The Constitution makes no exception.

“And the Bible, in which both the Attorney General and I profess belief, makes no exception. The Book of Psalms tells us, ‘One who tells lies shall not escape.’ (19:5)

“If Mr. Sessions deserves a do-over for his false testimony, then so do the senators who voted to confirm him.

“So, I repeat: ‘The office of Attorney General of the United States is not a political position, and anyone who holds it must have total fidelity to the laws and the Constitution of the United States.’

“Those are words of Attorney General Sessions at his confirmation hearing, and we will hold him to that standard.”

Interfaith Alliance is a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information visit interfaithalliance.org.