Sen. Cory Booker's unprecedented decision to testify against Sen. Jeff Sessions at Wednesday's Senate confirmation hearings is designed to help the New Jersey lawmaker strengthen his Democratic credentials so he can launch a presidential bid in 2020, former federal prosecutor Andrew McCarthy tells Newsmax TV.
"What we're seeing with Cory Booker is the beginning of his 2020 presidential campaign and I think he's just doing what he thinks he needs to do in that party," McCarthy, a senior fellow at The National Review Institute, said Tuesday to Steve Malzberg on "America Talks Live."
McCarthy said the disruptions of Tuesday's hearings on President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet picks should make the Democrats think hard about the future of their party.
"If I were a Democrat I think that would make me take a long look at where we are and where we're headed," he told Malzberg.
See Steve Malzberg on Newsmax TV: Tune in beginning at 12 PM EDT to "America Talks Live" — on FiOS 115/615, YouTube Livestream, Newsmax TV App from any smartphone, NewsmaxTV.com, Roku, Amazon Fire — More Systems Here
"But Cory Booker obviously thinks that in order to position himself for success in that party this is the position he needs to take — not withstanding that it's about five minutes ago that he said he was honored to work with Jeff Sessions on civil rights matters."
If Booker goes ahead with his testimony, it would be the first time in Senate history a sitting senator testifies against another sitting senator for a Cabinet position.
McCarthy, who served as former assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, believes Sessions, who has been under fire for alleged racist views and statements, should have no problem being confirmed.
"I don't think anything should stand in his way. He's an outstanding candidate. He will be an outstanding attorney general," McCarthy said.
"He's got a depth of experience that's been unraveled in that office for a while and a dedication to the rule of law which has been unheard of in that office for a number of years. So I expect him to come shining through."
McCarthy is the author of "Faithless Execution," Building the Political Case for Obama's Impeachment," published by Encounter Books.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.