• Font Size    

CBS 2 Most Popular Pages

Jewish Celebrities
E-mail

Close Window E-mail This Page

Burris Makes First Speech In Senate

Required fields are marked with an asterisk(*)

The information you provide will be used only to send the requested e-mail and will not be used to send any other e-mail communications. Read more in our Privacy Policy

Send E-mail

   Print     Share +   
Feb 2, 2009 2:54 pm US/Central

Burris Makes First Speech In Senate

WASHINGTON (AP) ― U.S. Sen. Roland Burris says Attorney General-designate Eric Holder will "open the gates of Justice" for all Americans.

In remarks prepared for his first speech on the U.S. Senate floor, the Illinois Democrat appointed by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich said the Justice Department hasn't lived up to promises.

But Burris says Holder will "open the gates of justice once again to the public interest, not the special interests."

Holder's expected confirmation by the Senate on Monday would make him the first African-American to lead the Justice Department.

Burris is also black. In his speech, he described his own experiences with discrimination and said he was upset that the Civil Rights Division -- "long known as the crown jewel of the Justice Department -- has seen its mission undermined and misdirected."

(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Editor's Picks

© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.