{"id":8330,"date":"2018-06-08T21:13:15","date_gmt":"2018-06-08T21:13:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/?p=3077339"},"modified":"2018-06-08T21:13:15","modified_gmt":"2018-06-08T21:13:15","slug":"sessions-sings-trumps-praises-in-denver-speech-at-western-conservative-summit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/sessions-sings-trumps-praises-in-denver-speech-at-western-conservative-summit\/","title":{"rendered":"Sessions sings Trump\u2019s praises in Denver speech at Western Conservative Summit"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"wp_fb_like_button\" style=\"margin:5px 0 5px 5px;float:right;height:100px;\"><script src=\"http:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/all.js#xfbml=1\"><\/script><fb:like href=\"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/sessions-sings-trumps-praises-in-denver-speech-at-western-conservative-summit\/\" send=\"true\" layout=\"standard\" width=\"450\" show_faces=\"false\" font=\"arial\" action=\"like\" colorscheme=\"light\"><\/fb:like><\/div><div class=\"media_block\"><\/div>\n<div><img src=\"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/sessions-sings-trumps-praises-in-denver-speech-at-western-conservative-summit.jpg\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" \/><\/div>\n<p>U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions sang President Donald Trump\u2019s praises Friday in Denver\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2018\/06\/06\/jeff-session-scott-pruitt-denver-western-conservative-summit\/\">at the Western Conservative Summit<\/a>\u00a0in a speech that at times felt more like a campaign rally, steering clear of marijuana but hammering home a message of zero tolerance toward unlawful immigration.<\/p>\n<p>Sessions also touted the Department of Justice\u2019s move Thursday night not to defend key elements of the Affordable Care Act amid a Republican court challenge \u2014 a decision about\u00a0President Barack Obama\u2019s signature health care law that could affect its\u00a0requirement that people have health insurance and the provision guaranteeing access to health insurance regardless of any medical conditions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a rare step, but one I felt was necessary when it comes to this law,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Sessions\u2019 praise of Trump and the Trump administration comes despite <a href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2018\/05\/30\/trump-jeff-sessions-tweets\/\">very public friction between the two men<\/a> over Sessions\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2017\/03\/02\/jeff-sessions-russia-probe-withdraw-calls\/\">decision to recuse himself<\/a> from an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign.<\/p>\n<p>Trump has said he wouldn\u2019t have chosen Sessions to become attorney general had he known he was going to recuse himself.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think we\u2019re really taking step after step after step,\u201d Sessions said of the Trump administration, adding that the president has \u201cnominated some fabulous judges to the federal bench.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sessions said, \u201cWe\u2019re going to keep up this pace. We\u2019re not slowing down. We\u2019re determined to keep winning and winning and winning.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"related right\">\n<ul>\n<li><span>June 8, 2018<\/span> <a class=\"article-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2018\/06\/08\/jeff-sessions-western-conservative-summit-questions\/\" title=\"Western Conservative Summit attendees follow suit in questioning Sessions\u2019 actions\"> <span class=\"dfm-title optimizely-3076745\"> Western Conservative Summit attendees follow suit in questioning Sessions\u2019 actions <\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<li><span>June 7, 2018<\/span> <a class=\"article-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2018\/06\/07\/colorado-legalized-marijuana-federal-restrictions\/\" title=\"Colorado\u2019s legalized marijuana would be federally lawful under bill introduced by Cory Gardner, Elizabeth Warren\"> <span class=\"dfm-title optimizely-3075611\"> Colorado\u2019s legalized marijuana would be federally lawful under bill introduced by Cory Gardner, Elizabeth Warren <\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<li><span>June 7, 2018<\/span> <a class=\"article-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2018\/06\/07\/the-spot-newsletter-0607\/\" title=\"The Spot newsletter: Masterpiece Cakeshop ruling and its impacts, Hickenlooper\u2019s veto-palooza, Denver\u2019s scooter-palooza and an election 2018 how-to\"> <span class=\"dfm-title optimizely-3073354\"> The Spot newsletter: Masterpiece Cakeshop ruling and its impacts, Hickenlooper\u2019s veto-palooza, Denver\u2019s scooter-palooza and an election 2018 how-to <\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<li><span>June 6, 2018<\/span> <a class=\"article-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2018\/06\/06\/arrests-for-illegal-border-crossings-top-50000-in-may\/\" title=\"Arrests for illegal border crossings top 50,000 in May\"> <span class=\"dfm-title optimizely-3075258\"> Arrests for illegal border crossings top 50,000 in May <\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<li><span>June 6, 2018<\/span> <a class=\"article-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2018\/06\/06\/jeff-session-scott-pruitt-denver-western-conservative-summit\/\" title=\"Jeff Sessions, Scott Pruitt to headline this weekend\u2019s Western Conservative Summit amid growing controversy\"> <span class=\"dfm-title optimizely-3075044\"> Jeff Sessions, Scott Pruitt to headline this weekend\u2019s Western Conservative Summit amid growing controversy <\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p>But many attendees of the first day of the Western Conservative Summit, held at the Colorado Convention Center downtown, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2018\/06\/08\/jeff-sessions-western-conservative-summit-questions\/\">seemed to share Trump\u2019s frustration<\/a> with Sessions over the Russia investigation \u2014 a sign of unrest in contrast to the display of achievements.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI wonder why Jeff Sessions isn\u2019t doing his job,\u201d said\u00a0Charlotte Jacobson of Dillon. \u201cI think he\u2019s not working as an attorney general. I guess he\u2019s been doing some other things, but in terms of the investigation \u2014 that\u2019s the most important thing right now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ardis Dolezal shared that sentiment. She was decked out in red, white and blue, and was sporting a National Rifle Association sticker that says, \u201cStand and Fight.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m really hoping that he\u2019s more on Trump\u2019s side than he appears to be sometimes, because I think Trump is great for the country,\u201d Dolezal said.<\/p>\n<p>During his approximately half-hour speech, Sessions also vowed to back law enforcement and law and order. On immigration, he called for the construction of Trump\u2019s proposed border wall and held up the Trump administration\u2019s zero-tolerance policy toward people who are arriving or living in the U.S. illegally.<\/p>\n<p>He appeared to take a swipe at Colorado cities that have so-called sanctuary policies.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt cannot be that someone who illegally crosses the border on a\u00a0Monday\u00a0and gets to Denver or Boulder or Aurora\u00a0on Wednesday\u00a0is home free \u2014 never to be removed from this country. What kind of law would that be?\u201d he said. \u201cWhat if they were bringing 6 ounces of cocaine with them and they were arrested for that? This refusal of cooperation has serious consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A glaring omission from Sessions\u2019 speech was marijuana and his fierce opposition to the drug and its legalization.\u00a0The state\u2019s cannabis industry sees him as a threat to its very existence, and Sessions\u2019 has even <a href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2018\/01\/10\/cory-gardner-jeff-sessions-marijuana\/\">clashed with U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo.<\/a>, over his actions and views on marijuana.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">No word on marijuana from Sessions- despite earlier news that Trump would probably support bill proposed by Senator Gardner <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/copolitics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#copolitics<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Skilling (@skilling747) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/skilling747\/status\/1005192244503035904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 8, 2018<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cMarijuana remains prohibited by federal law,\u201d Sessions <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cpr.org\/news\/story\/sessions-us-will-enforce-federal-drug-laws-despite-gardner-trump-marijuana-deal\">told Colorado Public Radio<\/a>\u00a0in an interview earlier Friday. \u201cAt this time, my view is clear that the federal law remains in effect nationwide, just like it does for heroin and cocaine.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sessions did, however, speak at the summit about opioids and the Justice Department\u2019s work to prosecute doctors who overprescribe painkillers and to halt the U.S. overdose epidemic.<\/p>\n<p>On Friday night, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt \u2014 who is under fire <a href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2018\/05\/25\/epa-climate-change-deniers-emails\/\">for his leadership of the agency<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2018\/06\/07\/scott-pruitt-expenses-list\/\">use of taxpayer dollars<\/a> \u2014 took the stage and continued touting the Trump administration\u2019s actions.<\/p>\n<p>He highlighted work to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2017\/10\/18\/scott-pruitt-colorado-trip-scrutiny\/\">repeal the Obama-era Waters of the United States<\/a>, or WOTUS, rule and roll back other regulations passed under the previous president.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe past administration said that though we had been blessed with all these natural resources \u2014 natural gas and coal and farming and ranching so that we can feed the world and power the world \u2014 their approach was what? Put up fences and say do not touch,\u201d Pruitt said. \u201cYou know who suffers when that occurs? This country and the world.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When it comes to the environment, he advocates for stewardship, not prohibition.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI believe God has blessed us with tremendous natural resources that we should use to the betterment of mankind,\u201d he said of the Trump administration\u2019s environmental approach. \u201cThis is an example that you can have your cake and eat it, too. Those folks who say you can\u2019t, I don\u2019t understand that. What else (are) you supposed to do with cake?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Friday was the first day of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2018\/06\/06\/jeff-session-scott-pruitt-denver-western-conservative-summit\/\">annual Western Conservative Summit<\/a>, which ends Saturday.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Associated Press contributed to this report.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"media_block\"><\/div>\n<p>U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions sang President Donald Trump&#8217;s praises in a Denver speech Friday at the Western Conservative Summit, touting his agency&#8217;s move this week to not defend key elements of the Obama-era Affordable Care Act. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7831,210,6811,6857,117,6897,6812,376,5662,7003,6892,7620,7788,1538,7181,6964,6813,77,9,6833,6855,5019,441,7832,1,3,6963,1525,61,7833,1736],"tags":[7834,2788,6816,6859,2695,6898,6817,2954,5668,7004,6893,7622,7803,4106,7182,6967,6818,2655,6835,6856,5022,3015,7835,6966,4093,7836],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8330"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8330"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8330\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8330"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8330"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8330"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}