senator von holland. senator von holland: thank you, mr. chairman, congratulations and i look forward to working with you and others. i want to associate myself with the comments of senator collins with respect to daca and that's obviously part of an ongoing discussion, but we have to address this critical issue. the senate of judiciary committee, you made a statement i agree with -- the power to pardon is a legitimate power. it is one that ought to be exercised with great care. and you ended with, i believe in the role of the pardon attorney, unquote. the pardon attorney is an office within the doj, is it not? hon. sessions: i believe so. sen. lankford: starting with of the obama administration -- senator von holland: starting with the obama administration. right, the comment you made was in connection with pardons made by president clinton, but my question to you is, do you stand by that statement you made back during that hearing? that the pardon power ought to be exercised with care and you believe in the role of the pardon attorney? do

senator von holland. >> thank you, mr. chairman, congratulations and i look forward to working with you and others. mr. attorney general, welcome. and i want to associate myself with the comments of senator collins with respect to daca and that's obviously part of an ongoing discussion, but we have to address this critical issue. we all have an interest in protecting the integrity of the justice department. and as a member of the senate judiciary committee, you made a statement at a hearing that i thoroughly agree with, and i'm kwoelting, the power to pardon is a legitimate power. it is one that ought to be exercised with great care. and then you ended it saying i believe in the role of the pardon attorney, unquote. the pardon attorney is an office within the doj, is it not? >> it is a position in the department of justice. >> and can you think of any pardon during the eight years of the obama administration that did not go through the office of the pardon attorney? >> i don't recall. i know a number did during the clinton