Obama Taps Holder for AG

But supports FISA, Patriot Act

(NEWSER) - Eric Holder minced no words when asked about waterboarding in his confirmation hearing today. “Waterboarding is torture,” the AG-designate said, a declaration neither Michael Mukasey nor Alberto Gonzales was willing to make. He said that, even in emergencies, the president couldn’t override the constitution. Republicans also leapt to question Holder about the Marc Rich pardon, which he readily admitted to regrets about. More»

Conservative mag urges GOP to vote against Obama's Justice nominee

(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.” More»

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

(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»

(AP) - Barack Obama today selected a Harvard physicist and a marine biologist for key science posts, in a sign he plans a more aggressive response to global warming than did the Bush administration. John Holdren and Jane Lubchenco are leading experts on climate change who have advocated forceful government action. “It's time we once again put science at the top of our agenda,” Obama said today. More»

May quickly provide infrastructure funding; states want $136B

(NEWSER) - President-elect Obama pledged today to approve billions in government expenditures on public works projects when he assumes office, the New York Times reports. Invoking Eisenhower’s Interstate program, Obama said “we will create millions of jobs,” possibly by funding some or all of $136 billion in infrastructure projects already approved by state governments. More»