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Clinton deputy is Obama's top attorney-general pick.(Front)

Article from: The Virginian Pilot Article date: November 19, 2008

By Matt Apuzzo and Lara Jakes Jordan

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON

Eric Holder, formerly second in charge at the Justice Department, is President-elect Barack Obama's top choice to become attorney general, an Obama official and people close to the matter said Tuesday.

Holder's selection would mark Obama's first step toward filling his Cabinet, and, if confirmed by the Senate, Holder would become the nation's first black attorney general .

Obama would be putting a career prosecutor at the helm of a department beset by low morale and internal investigations. ...

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Holder Is 'Sept. 10' Pick for AG

Posted Nov 19, 08 4:03 PM CST in Politics,  Crime & Courts,  Opinion 

Holder Is 'Sept. 10' Pick for AG
Source: AP Photo

(Newser) – Eric Holder is “a conventional, check-the-boxes creature of the Left,” the editors of the National Review write of Barack Obama’s reported choice for Attorney General, and his selection reveals a “September 10 mentality” and a “lack of seriousness about the terrorist threat.” They add, “for these times, it is difficult to imagine a worse choice for AG than Eric Holder.”

The Review is most steamed about Holder’s role in “the final corrupt act of the Clinton administration: the pardons issued in the departing President’s final hours,” including that of financier Marc Rich. “To be blunt,” they conclude, “Holder is a terrible selection. If there’s any Obama cabinet nomination that Republicans feel moved to oppose, this should be it.”

Source: National Review

More about:  Barack Obama • Attorney General • Justice Department • Clinton administration • National Review • Eric Holder • Janet Reno • Marc Rich

MORE RELATED NEWSER STORIES

 Obama Taps Holder for AG 

DC lawyer, who has accepted post, oversaw VP selection; confirmation looks likely

Newsweek Newsweek Nov 18, 08 3:38 PM CST
(Newser) - Eric Holder, a former US Attorney, judge, and deputy attorney general under Bill Clinton, will be Barack Obama’s nominee to head the Justice Department, Newsweek reports. Sources say Holder has been considered for the post from the beginning, and he ran the Democrat’s vice-presidential search along with Caroline Kennedy. If confirmed, Holder would be the first African American Attorney General. More »

More about:  Barack Obama • Election 2008 • President Obama • Attorney General • transition • Clinton administration • Eric Holder • confirmation hearings • Marc Rich

Holder's Nom
Raises Ghost
of Rich Pardon

 AG pick played key—if inadvertent—role in clearing fugitive

New York Times New York Times Dec 2, 08 10:44 AM CST
(Newser) - Eric Holder has earned a lot of praise in his career, but there’s one glaring blemish on his resume: the pardon of Marc Rich. Critics say Barack Obama’s attorney general pick was the driving force behind the fugitive’s backdoor pardon, while supporters say he’s an innocent scapegoat. In reality, he was a pawn who made a major misstep, reports the New York Times . More »

More about:  Attorney General • Justice Department • pardon • Eric Holder • Marc Rich

Holder Pushed Clemency
for Puerto Rican Militants

Obama's attorney-general pick helped commute sentences for PR nationalists

Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Times 3 hours, 34 minutes ago
(Newser) - Barack Obama’s attorney-general nominee fought for clemency for 16 militant Puerto Rican nationalists during his time in the Clinton administration, the Los Angeles Times reports. Eric Holder pushed Justice Department subordinates to pave the way to Clinton’s clemency grant, documents show, sparking fury from law-enforcement officials who’d tackled a US bombing campaign by Puerto Rican groups. More »

More about:  President Obama • Bill Clinton • Attorney General • militant • transition team • Puerto Rico • Clinton administration • Eric Holder • nationalism • clemency


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