Jeff Sessions Irked By Crying Child: "Enough With The Histrionics" (VIDEO)

Yesterday the Senate Judiciary Committee had a hearing on the Uniting American Families Act, a bill that will "amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate discrimination in the immigration laws by permitting permanent partners of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents to obtain lawful permanent resident status in the same manner as spouses of citizens and lawful permanent residents and to penalize immigration fraud in connection with permanent partnerships." Of course, some of the discrimination that the bill would eliminate would benefit same-sex couples, so, CONTROVERSY!

One of the people who testified in support of the bill was a woman named Shirley Tan, who is in a same-sex relationship and thus caught in the crosshairs of existing law. The New Republic's James Kirchick documents her circumstances thusly:

Testifying was Shirley Tan, a Fillipino woman who has been with her American partner for 23 years. Together, they are raising twelve-year-old twin boys. She originally left the Phillipines after suffering a violent attack from a man who murdered her mother and sister (one of the reasons why Tan does not want to return to her native country, aside from the fact that her partner and children live in the U.S., is that the man who brutalized her has since been released from prison.) Tan was originally scheduled to be deported on April 3rd, but won a reprieve after Senator Diane Feinstein introduced a private bill allowing her to stay in the country temporarily.

Almost right from the start of Tan's testimony, one of Tan's young children started crying. The committee chairman, Pat Leahy, paused the testimony and offered the child some measure of comfort. According to Kirchick, these kindly sentiments were not shared by everyone on the committee:

For most people, the sight of a 12-year-old boy in tears at the prospect of his mother being deported halfway around the world would invoke some sympathy. Unmoved, however, was Alabama Republican Jeff Sessions, ranking minority member of the Committee and the only Republican to bother to attend the hearing. At the sight of the weeping boy, according to a Senate staffer who was at the hearing, Sessions leaned towards one of his aides and sighed, "Enough with the histrionics." Sessions's press secretary did not return a call seeking comment.

In fairness to Sessions, he is at least being remarkably consistent:

Q: When you hear President Obama talk about nominating someone to the court who has empathy and real-world experience, do you understand what he means?

Sessions: I don't know what he means. And it's dangerous, because I don't know what empathy means.

Ha! Clearly not!

---

Here's Tan's testimony before the committee in full:

[WATCH]

And via Queerty, here's some good documentation of what Tan is facing:

MORE:
Exclusive: Jeff Sessions Makes Children Cry [The New Republic]
Is Shirley Tan Out Of Options to Stay In the U.S.? [Queerty]
Sessions Says He's Looking For Judicial Restraint [National Journal]

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Comments

[Fyrefly86]

03:13 PM on 06/07/2009

What a fine display of family values held by Mr. Sessions.

/sarcasm

[Driver125]

02:28 PM on 06/07/2009

Ahhhhhh.....burnishing the ol' GOP image, eh Jeff? Bravo! You guys will be back in power again--the day they have the snowball fight in hades.

[Anonani]

02:07 PM on 06/07/2009

Sometimes it is just best to keep your mouth shut and let all of the other smart people figure out what you believe to be obvious. If the boys crying was staged, or believed to be artfully designed to manipulate the outcome of hearing, everyone else had figured it out too. He did not have to behave like such an insensitive boor. Look what it got him!

[Enchantedcrop]

01:03 PM on 06/07/2009

Reminds me of Rush Limbaugh's horrific statements when Michael J. Fox was demonstrating his Parkinsons Disease off of medication in order to advocate for stem cell research. Another Republican Statement - anti-empathy.

Antonyms of empathy per Answer.com: apathy, misunderstanding, unfeelingness
This is part of our American Government. A shame.

[zerepas]

12:01 PM on 06/07/2009

Looks histrionic to me.

One can be empathetic to one's cause or situation, WITHOUT seeing the obvious distress or hardship on display.

Besides, it could be considered an attempt at emotional manipulation.

[LintLass]

04:59 PM on 06/07/2009

It's 'emotional manipulation' for a child to cry at the prospect of losing a mother?

[FdeBear]

06:01 PM on 06/07/2009

SO WHAT! What harm did the kid do.

[AAKAlan]

10:39 AM on 06/07/2009

Proof positive. Conservatives do not have a heart.

[Nina28]

01:06 AM on 06/08/2009

You mean NeoCons and I beg to differ, they do have a heart, it's cold and black.

[BBC9nch]

09:49 AM on 06/07/2009

Once again the headline does not match the evidence in the story. I thought we were going to see a video of Sessions actually saying something outrageous about this child. Instead the story is about an unnamed staffer who claims to have overheard something. I think this is irresponsible journalism at best and I am absolutely NO fan of Sessions, who has proven himself a ra.cist time and time again.

[FGDinVA]

09:13 AM on 06/07/2009

Paging Sen. Sessions:

empathy em·pa·thy (ěm'pə-thē)
n.

Direct identification with, understanding of, and vicarious experience of another person's situation, feelings, and motives.

[pm247]

08:30 AM on 06/07/2009

This woman certainly has a flair for drama... fleeing a mass murderer, getting a personal bill introduced in the Senate, taking her crying child to Washington.

When it comes to immigration we do need a no nonsense approach. Cities are flooded and overwhelmed with immigrants thanks to both parties catering to Big Business.

[FGDinVA]

08:58 AM on 06/07/2009

"Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
'Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!' cries she
With silent lips. 'Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!'"

[AAKAlan]

10:40 AM on 06/07/2009

Perfect.

[rwellsrwells]

12:30 PM on 06/07/2009

Amen. Thanks for the whole text.

[littlepeople]

12:48 PM on 06/07/2009

Rid the country of all those creepy illegal immigrants and see how much you'll be paying from lawn care to agricultural prices to service at your favorite restaurant......you'll really be overwhelmed. Maybe your spoiled little brats will pick up the slack!

[SocialistBoy]

07:21 PM on 06/07/2009

Not to mention $3.00 per tomato!!!

[Steambomb]

11:45 AM on 06/06/2009

And it's dangerous, because I don't know what empathy means.

A more accurate statement from Senator Sessions would be
"I'm dangerous because I dont know what empathy means."

[FGDinVA]

09:12 AM on 06/07/2009

Score.

[Thabit]

07:10 PM on 07/04/2009

Actually his statement is a lie , he does know what empathy means but he has only shown it for the wealthiest 2 per cent of the country, no one else can afford the price of his empathy

[Kalena]

11:44 AM on 06/06/2009

Our immigration laws are absurd! My brother (born in US) and his female wife have been working continually for ten years to get her US citizenship. They now have an 8 yr old child (us citizen) and still haven't cracked the code. He's an exec with a major US firm, has access to top legal counsel (has spent a fortune) and still no citizenship for my sister-in-law.
Another dear friend, born in Canada to US parents, who fought for US in Viet Nam finally gave up his fight for citizenship after 12 years.
There's something terribly wrong with our laws!

[jcampaudio]

11:37 AM on 06/06/2009

Here is a copy of the E-mail I just sent to senator Sessions who is my elected representative.
Senator,

There have been several stories in the press in the last few days that accuse you of making a derisive comment ,during a hearing, concerning a 12 year-old boy who was emotional overcome as his mother spoke about the possibility of his family being torn apart.To be fair, I have no confirmation that what has been reported is accurate. To be realistic, your office has been contacted by these reporters for a reaction which you have refused to give. We both know what that means Senator. You may be able to avoid a reporters question but you cannot avoid mine,your constituent. You are my elected representative and I expect an answer.
Senator, when faced with a child overcome with emotion did you lean over to a staffer and say "enough with the histrionics." Since I know how politicians speak I will also point out that that is a yes or no question.
Senator you may have thought that no one could hear you, but I would point you to the words of Evangelist Dwight Lyman Moody who said,"Character is what you are in the Dark".
Did I get a true glimpse of your character in that hearing room? Have you no compassion for a child?
I eagerly await your reply.

I'll keep you posted on his reply.

[FGDinVA]

09:15 AM on 06/07/2009

Great quote from Moody.

Character is how you act when nobody's looking.

[FdeBear]

06:06 PM on 06/07/2009

Great letter!

[hrholmes]

11:35 AM on 06/06/2009

Why hasn't this woman become a naturalized citizen in the 23 years she's been here? Why and how has she been allowed to stay? Just asking. Doesn't seem like a very in depth story. buh-bye.

[SocialistBoy]

07:38 PM on 06/07/2009

Looks like you have never had to deal with the immigration bureaucracy!! it is now under Homeland Security: add more bureaucracy here!! It is one big joke!!

[Martee]

11:30 AM on 06/06/2009

Republicans are like that -- if someone is doing something that bother you -- yell at them (or bomb them) enough and they'll stop. Right?

[HekmabaJuzimax]

11:25 AM on 06/06/2009

Sessions: I don't know what he means. And it's dangerous, because I don't know what empathy means.

That is the definition of a sociopath. Jeff Sessions should seek professional help, pronto! Now, even!

[NotARhetoricalQuestion]

10:51 AM on 06/07/2009

There is no cure for sociopathy.