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| Attorney General Eric Holder to step down | Attorney General Eric Holder to step down |
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| Eric H. Holder Jr., who made history as the nation’s first African American attorney general and became an icon among liberals but a divisive figure for many conservatives, will leave his post as soon as a successor is confirmed, President Obama announced Thursday. | |
| In an emotional ceremony at the White House, Obama paid tribute to one of the last original members of his Cabinet and a close personal friend, saying Holder “has done a superb job.’’ Holder, fighting back tears, cited what he called a list of accomplishments ranging from protecting voting rights to reforming the criminal justice system. | |
| “I have loved the Department of Justice ever since, as a young boy, I watched Robert Kennedy prove during the Civil Rights Movement how the department can – and must – always be a force for that which is right,’’ said Holder, who said he was ending four decades of public service that has included work as a prosecutor, judge and Justice Department official. “I hope that I have done honor to the faith you placed in me, Mr. President.’’ | |
| Throughout the day on Thursday, tributes to Holder poured in from Democrats, civil rights leaders and others, who called him an influential proponent of civil rights and sentencing and drug law reforms who also helped protect Americans from terrorist attacks. “His resignation is a great loss for any American seeking justice in our society,” said Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a legendary figure in the civil rights movement who spoke to Holder on Thursday. ’ | |
| But Holder’s pending departure — while not unexpected, since he had considered leaving several times before — immediately reignited the partisan battles over his legacy that marked much of his nearly six-year tenure. Even as the attorney general privately informed top Justice Department staff on Thursday of his plan to leave, Republicans blasted him as a liberal activist focused more on pursuing his own agenda than enforcing the law. | But Holder’s pending departure — while not unexpected, since he had considered leaving several times before — immediately reignited the partisan battles over his legacy that marked much of his nearly six-year tenure. Even as the attorney general privately informed top Justice Department staff on Thursday of his plan to leave, Republicans blasted him as a liberal activist focused more on pursuing his own agenda than enforcing the law. |
| “Eric Holder is the most divisive U.S. Attorney General in modern history,’’ Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said in a statement. “By needlessly injecting politics into law enforcement, Attorney General Holder’s legacy has eroded more confidence in our legal system than any Attorney General before him. Through strong arming reporters, practically ignoring high level wrongdoing, blocking his own agency Inspector General’s access to information . . . Attorney General Holder abused his office.’’ | “Eric Holder is the most divisive U.S. Attorney General in modern history,’’ Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said in a statement. “By needlessly injecting politics into law enforcement, Attorney General Holder’s legacy has eroded more confidence in our legal system than any Attorney General before him. Through strong arming reporters, practically ignoring high level wrongdoing, blocking his own agency Inspector General’s access to information . . . Attorney General Holder abused his office.’’ |
| It was Issa who was behind perhaps the most ignominious moment in Holder’s tenure, when the House voted in 2012 to hold him in contempt of Congress over his handling of the department’s controversial “Fast and Furious” program to prevent weapons smuggling. | It was Issa who was behind perhaps the most ignominious moment in Holder’s tenure, when the House voted in 2012 to hold him in contempt of Congress over his handling of the department’s controversial “Fast and Furious” program to prevent weapons smuggling. |
| Although the White House does not plan to announce a replacement Thursday, people familiar with the search said there are several possible contenders to succeed Holder. They include: U.S. Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli Jr.; Jenny Durkan, who is stepping down as U.S. attorney in Seattle next week; former White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler, who left this year to return to private practice in New York; and Loretta E. Lynch, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York. | |
| When Holder — who has clashed with Republicans on other issues such as voting rights in a number of searing congressional hearings — would leave office has been one of Washington’s great guessing games. | When Holder — who has clashed with Republicans on other issues such as voting rights in a number of searing congressional hearings — would leave office has been one of Washington’s great guessing games. |
| People familiar with the attorney general’s thinking said he has found the job exhausting at times and had especially considered leaving last summer and fall in the heat of the Fast and Furious battle. But Holder was reluctant to leave his Justice post at a low point, and he wanted to depart on his own terms. | People familiar with the attorney general’s thinking said he has found the job exhausting at times and had especially considered leaving last summer and fall in the heat of the Fast and Furious battle. But Holder was reluctant to leave his Justice post at a low point, and he wanted to depart on his own terms. |
| Now that Holder feels he has accomplished more in recent months in the areas of prison and sentencing reform and helped restart a national conversation about racial justice in light of the shooting of an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Mo., the people said, he feels more comfortable with leaving government. | Now that Holder feels he has accomplished more in recent months in the areas of prison and sentencing reform and helped restart a national conversation about racial justice in light of the shooting of an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Mo., the people said, he feels more comfortable with leaving government. |
| Another factor, said people who have spoken with Holder, came when Holder was treated at a Washington hospital in February for an elevated heart rate after he experienced lightheadedness and shortness of breath during a morning staff meeting. The incident, the people said, made Holder reevaluate his life and his priorities going forward. | Another factor, said people who have spoken with Holder, came when Holder was treated at a Washington hospital in February for an elevated heart rate after he experienced lightheadedness and shortness of breath during a morning staff meeting. The incident, the people said, made Holder reevaluate his life and his priorities going forward. |
| Holder discussed his plans personally with Obama on several occasions in recent months, according to a Justice Department official, and finalized those plans in an hour-long conversation with the president at the White House residence over Labor Day weekend. | Holder discussed his plans personally with Obama on several occasions in recent months, according to a Justice Department official, and finalized those plans in an hour-long conversation with the president at the White House residence over Labor Day weekend. |
| At a formal announcement later Thursday, the official added, Holder will thank the president for giving him the chance to lead the Justice Department, which he will call the “greatest honor of my professional life.” | At a formal announcement later Thursday, the official added, Holder will thank the president for giving him the chance to lead the Justice Department, which he will call the “greatest honor of my professional life.” |
| Thursday morning the attorney general called two iconic figures from the 1960s to inform them of the news: Lewis, and Ethel Kennedy, the widow of the late Robert F. Kennedy. Holder has a portrait of the former attorney general hanging in his office. | Thursday morning the attorney general called two iconic figures from the 1960s to inform them of the news: Lewis, and Ethel Kennedy, the widow of the late Robert F. Kennedy. Holder has a portrait of the former attorney general hanging in his office. |
| NPR first reported the news of Holder’s departure late Thursday morning. | NPR first reported the news of Holder’s departure late Thursday morning. |
| Holder clashed frequently with the White House during Obama’s first term, and some top Obama advisors came to view him as politically tone-deaf. A particular low period came when Obama’s then-chief of staff Rahm Emanuel fought Holder on his highly public announcement that he hoped to try terror suspects in federal courts, part of his legal team’s work to help close a U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and deliver on an early campaign promise of Obama. | Holder clashed frequently with the White House during Obama’s first term, and some top Obama advisors came to view him as politically tone-deaf. A particular low period came when Obama’s then-chief of staff Rahm Emanuel fought Holder on his highly public announcement that he hoped to try terror suspects in federal courts, part of his legal team’s work to help close a U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and deliver on an early campaign promise of Obama. |
| In one infamous incident, Holder and Emanuel reportedly cursed each other out when Emanuel said Holder’s Guantanamo work was going to undercut his White House efforts to reform health care. | In one infamous incident, Holder and Emanuel reportedly cursed each other out when Emanuel said Holder’s Guantanamo work was going to undercut his White House efforts to reform health care. |
| Holder now announces his resignation after a series of successes in the past year, having received accolades from community activists for his leadership in investigating and responding to the police shooting of an unarmed teenager in Ferguson, Mo. Holder has often spoken about race relations in blunter terms than the president. | |
| While Holder has no immediate plans once he steps down, the Justice official said, he has spoken with friends and colleagues about establishing some sort of center or institute to continue his work on restoring trust between law enforcement and minority communities. | While Holder has no immediate plans once he steps down, the Justice official said, he has spoken with friends and colleagues about establishing some sort of center or institute to continue his work on restoring trust between law enforcement and minority communities. |
| Civil rights advocates lauded Holder on Thursday for his work: Marc Morial, president and chief executive of the National Urban League, called him “the best attorney general for civil rights in modern history.” | Civil rights advocates lauded Holder on Thursday for his work: Marc Morial, president and chief executive of the National Urban League, called him “the best attorney general for civil rights in modern history.” |
| The Rev. Al Sharpton said Holder’s “reward for standing up on all these issues was to be the only attorney general to be held in contempt by the U.S. Congress.” | The Rev. Al Sharpton said Holder’s “reward for standing up on all these issues was to be the only attorney general to be held in contempt by the U.S. Congress.” |
| Obama also offered lavish praise. | |
| “He’s worked side-by-side with our intelligence community and the Department of Homeland Security to keep us safe from terrorist attacks and to counter violent extremism,’’ the president said. | |
| “He’s rooted out corruption and fought violent crime,’’ Obama added. “Under his watch a few years ago the FBI successfully carried out the largest Mafia take-down in American history. He’s worked closely with state and local law enforcement officers to make sure that they’ve got the resources to get the job done.’’ | |
| Perhaps Holder’s most important legacy, the president said, is his “deep and abiding fidelity to one of our most cherished ideals as a people, and that is equal justice under the law.’’ | |
| Republicans, however, criticized the attorney general’s performance in sharp terms. “Unfortunately the American people, myself included, lost confidence in the Attorney General’s ability to lead a long time ago because of his continued willingness to put politics before the law,’’ Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) said in a statement. “The nation deserves an Attorney General whose loyalty to the justice system will trump loyalty to a political party, and I hope the President will nominate someone who will uphold the basic standards of honesty, transparency, and accountability that have been so glaringly absent in this Justice Department.” | Republicans, however, criticized the attorney general’s performance in sharp terms. “Unfortunately the American people, myself included, lost confidence in the Attorney General’s ability to lead a long time ago because of his continued willingness to put politics before the law,’’ Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) said in a statement. “The nation deserves an Attorney General whose loyalty to the justice system will trump loyalty to a political party, and I hope the President will nominate someone who will uphold the basic standards of honesty, transparency, and accountability that have been so glaringly absent in this Justice Department.” |
| While it is unclear how members of the public would react to Holder’s departure, what was clear was that he will be exiting his position in relatively low public regard. Nearly four in 10 Americans are unable to rate him, but among those who do, his negative ratings are twice as large as his positive ones, according to a recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll. | While it is unclear how members of the public would react to Holder’s departure, what was clear was that he will be exiting his position in relatively low public regard. Nearly four in 10 Americans are unable to rate him, but among those who do, his negative ratings are twice as large as his positive ones, according to a recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll. |
| Carol D. Leonnig, Hamil Harris, Ed O'Keefe and Peyton Craighill contributed to this report. |