Hawaii Lawmakers Criticize Sessions’ Island Judge Remarks

HONOLULU (AP) —
Hawaii, Sessions, Judge
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. (Yuri Gripas/Reuters)

Hawaii’s Democratic lawmakers are criticizing Attorney General Jeff Sessions after he expressed amazement on a radio show that a “judge sitting on an island in the Pacific” could stop the president’s travel ban.

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono on Thursday tried to give Sessions a civics lesson on Twitter, saying Hawaii has been a U.S. state for 58 years.

U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson last month blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order prohibiting new visas for people from six Muslim-majority countries and temporarily halting the U.S. refugee program.

The Trump Administration appealed the ruling.

Sen. Brian Schatz reminded Sessions that he voted as a senator to confirm Watson as a judge.

Justice Department spokesman Ian Prior says there’s a problem when one judge’s ruling blocks the president’s lawful exercise of authority.

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