Whitehouse Works Big Papi into Jeff Sessions Nomination Hearings

WASHINGTON, D.C.— At today's Senate confirmation hearing, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions found himself potentially riling up Red Sox nation when asked to explain some past comments he made about immigrants from the Dominican Republic.

Sessions, according to U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, once said practically no one coming to the U.S. from the Domenican Republic is entering the U.S. with a "provable skill."

"We have a vibrant Dominican community, who look at Big Papi, David Ortiz, swinging his bat for the Red Sox, and wonder why you said, ‘Almost no one coming from the Dominican Republic to the United States is coming here because they have a provable skill that would benefit us,'” Whitehouse said.

Sessions replied his remarks in his 2006 speech weren't intended to diminish Dominicans or any group. He only meant almost all immigration to the U.S. can be traced to family connection "and other visas, rather than a skill-based program, more like Canada has today,” he told Whitehouse.

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Sessions for U.S. Attorney General.