Memphis protest calls for protection of Russia investigation

Despite the 150 people who turned out to protest Jeff Sessions’ removal, Memphis activist Emily Fulmer wanted one thing to be clear.

“We’re not sad Jeff Sessions is out of a job,” she said.

Sessions, the former U.S. Attorney General who resigned from his job this week amid pressure from President Donald Trump’s administration, was responsible for the end to Department of Justice oversight to the juvenile justice system in Memphis.

He was also responsible, Fulmer said, for the administration’s “zero-tolerance” immigration policy that separated thousands of immigrant parents from their children, whom the government housed in camps, sparking national outrage.

“It’s a stain on this country we will never recover from,” Fulmer said.

But still, the protest held on Civic Plaza in Downtown Saturday pushed back on the Trump administration for forcing Sessions out of his job the day after the midterm elections.

The “Nobody is Above the Law” protest called for protection of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into the Trump administration’s connections to Russia. The local protest was one of hundreds that took place around the country in the week following Sessions’ resignation.

“We are proud to be part of this important and historic effort,” local activist Theryn C. Bond said.

In his place, Trump put Matthew Whitaker, an outspoken critic of the investigation who will now oversee it. Sessions had previously recused himself from overseeing the probe.

The Justice Department Friday maintained that Whitaker’s appointment was appropriate.

“President Trump is not above the law,” Bond said through a megaphone to cheers from the crowd.

Speakers encouraged those concerned about Whitaker possibly interfering USA Today contributed to this report. Reach Jennifer Pignolet at jennifer.pignolet@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @JenPignolet.