Eric Holder. Possible Attorney General under Obama administration?
Voice of America News is reporting the latest cabinet position prospective appointee is Eric Holder to the position of Attorney General. Mr Holder served as Deputy Attorney General in the Clinton administration. He is a former Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, United States Attorney and Deputy Attorney General of the United States. Mr Holder is currently a senior legal adviser to President-elect Barack Obama, a position he also held in President-elect Obama's campaign. He was one of three members of President-elect Obama's vice-presidential selection committee.
What do we know about this potential Attorney General of the United States?
In 1988 he accepted the position of Judge of the Superior Court of Washington D.C. when it was offered by President Ronald Reagan. In 1993 he stepped down from that position to serve as U.S. Attorney for Washington D.C. where he oversaw the conclusion of the Post Office Scandal and the conviction of Dan Rostenkowski. Rostenkowsi was sentenced to 18 months in prison in 1995. He as pardoned by President Clinton in 2000.
In 1997 he was appointed as Deputy Attorney General under Janet Reno by a unanimous vote in the Senate. As Deputy Attorney General.
Some of the actions taken by the Reno office that stand out for this term of service that would reflect as to his potential performance as Attorney General?
- The 51 day standoff and ensuing deaths of 76 men, women, and children--the Branch Davidians--in Waco, Texas.
- Prosecution resulting in the conviction of 21 of the Montana Freemen after an 81 day armed standoff.
- Leak to the news media regarding Richard Jewell that led to the widespread and incorrect presumption of his guilt in the Centennial Olympic Park bombing. She later apologized, saying "I'm very sorry it happened. I think we owe him an apology. I regret the leak.
- Seizure of six-year-old Elián González and his return to his father, who eventually took him home to Cuba; Elián's mother had died in dangerous trip by sea, and though his U.S. relatives had lost custody to his father in court, local law enforcement had refused to act
How much will the Obama administration involve itself in the corporate world?
- Bringing suit against the software company Microsoft for violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
- Her Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Division, David William Ogden, led a lawsuit against the tobacco companies.
However, the most critical action that would reflect on Mr Holders potential for office of Attorney General is the one he himself acknowledges as a potential stumbling block; the pardoning by President Clinton of Marc Rich. In 1983, Rich was indicted in federal court of evading more than $48 million in taxes. He was also charged with 51 counts of tax fraud and with running illegal oil deals with Iran during the hostage crisis.
Marc Rich's socialite ex-wife has donated an estimated $1 million to Democratic causes, including $70,000 to Hillary Clinton's successful Senate campaign and $450,000 to the Clinton presidential library fund. She also lobbied heavily for Marc's pardon.
Regarding the investigation into the pardon, Time had this to say, "But most see this as a source of bipartisan outrage. Republicans and Democrats alike were dumbstruck by the Rich pardon. The federal prosecutors who indicted Rich are especially livid, particularly because, by definition, Rich appears to be ineligible for a pardon: He never took responsibility for his actions or served any sentence."
The final report of the investigation into the pardon, according to the NY Times, concluded in part, "Mr. Holder, the report says, played a major role, steering Mr. Rich's lawyers toward Jack Quinn, a former White House counsel. Mr. Rich hired Mr. Quinn, whose Washington contacts and ability to lobby the president made the difference, according to the report. It says that Mr. Holder's support for the pardon and his failure to alert prosecutors of a pending pardon were just as crucial.
While D.C. v. Heller was being heard by the Supreme Court in 2008, Holder joined the Reno-led amicus brief, which urged the Supreme Court to uphold Washington, D.C.'s handgun ban and said the Department of Justice from Franklin Roosevelt through Bill Clinton had always believed that the Second Amendment does not protect the rights of individuals to own guns for personal use. Holder said that overturning the 1976 law "opens the door to more people having more access to guns and putting guns on the streets."
UPDATE: According to Time.com the Monica Lewinsky probe which occupied the DOJ for ten months is coming back to haunt Holder as well. Read more at the link.
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