WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement today after it was discovered that Attorney General Holder failed to disclose to the Judiciary Committee that he joined an amicus brief challenging the Bush administration's authority to place domestic al Qaeda terrorist Jose Padilla in military custody, a disclosure required as part of his confirmation:

"I am deeply concerned by Attorney General Holder's failure to disclose to
the Senate Judiciary Committee his third-party brief in support of Jose
Padilla's Supreme Court case. Not only was the Attorney General required to provide the brief as part of his confirmation, but the opinions expressed in it go to the heart of his responsibilities in matters of national security.
This is an extremely serious matter and the Attorney General will have to
address it immediately. It is essential that we have full confidence, and
receive full candor, from the official leading the Department of Justice."