Senator Confronts Trump Judicial Nominee Over Past Claim ‘Black Inmates Are Most Likely to Become Sexual Aggressors’

A Senate Democrat confronted one of President Donald Trump’s judicial nominees over his past claim that Black inmates were more likely to be sexual aggressors.

On Wednesday, several nominees were in Capitol Hill for a confirmation hearing. Included in the hearing was John Cronan, who was nominated to be part of the U.S. Sentencing Commission.

At the hearing, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) confronted Cronan about an article he co-authored in 2001. In this article, it was claimed that certain “physical characteristics” could be used to predict how likely it was that a prison inmate would commit sexual violence. Durbin continued:

You wrote an article in 2001 in which you claimed it was “easy to forecast whether a prison inmate will become a sexual aggressor or victim while incarcerated based on physical characteristics, socio economic status, criminal history, and other factors.” You wrote, and I quote, “Black inmates are predominantly members of lower economic classes.” You also wrote, “Black inmates are most likely to become sexual aggressors.”

I’m deeply troubled by these statements in light of the position which you’re seeking. Why should people of color believe that you’ve changed from the statements that you made in 2001?

Cronan clarified that he merely co-authored the 2001 paper when he was in law school. He then claimed the excerpt highlighted by Durbin was actually a quote from another study.

“We were quoting another author’s study,” Cronan said.

Durbin then asked Cronan if he believed the quote that he used in his article.

“I am not in a position to opine on the conclusion of that study,” Cronan responded, “but I certainly do not feel that Black inmates are more violent than white inmates. The point of that article was that prisons can be violent institutions, and that prison officials need to be mindful of that risk.”

Watch above via C-SPAN

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