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Attorney General Eric Holder to step down Attorney General Eric Holder to step down
(about 4 hours later)
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. 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 to many conservatives, announced Thursday that he will resign his post.
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. In an emotional ceremony at the White House, President Obama paid tribute to one of the last original members of his Cabinet and a close friend, calling Holder’s departure “bittersweet.” Holder, at one point fighting back tears, cited a series of actions he said his Justice Department took to empower the powerless, ranging from fighting for voting rights to reforming criminal sentences for low-level drug offenders.
“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.’’ “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 plans to remain in office until his successor is confirmed.
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. ’ The nation’s fourth-longest-serving attorney general, Holder leaves a complicated legacy, one in which the very qualities that have endeared him to liberals — such as his pursuit of legal equality for gay men and lesbians and his focus on strengthening civil rights protections — have often left him at odds with Obama’s opponents. He tried to revitalize the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and spoke with unusual candor about racial matters, becoming the chief surrogate on race for an African American president who felt less comfortable tackling the sensitive issue in public.
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. The wildly disparate reactions to Holder’s departure on Thursday captured the complex nature of his tenure. Throughout the day, praise for Holder poured in from Democrats, civil rights leaders and others. They called him an influential proponent of civil liberties 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 revered figure of the civil rights movement who spoke to Holder on Thursday.
“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.’’ 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 members Thursday of his plans to leave, Republicans blasted him as a liberal activist focused more on pursuing his own agenda than enforcing the law.
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. “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.’’
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. A Nevada congressman, Mark Amodei, more succinctly captured the feeling of many Republicans about Holder’s exit. “Thank you,’’ he said in a two-word statement.
It was Issa, however, 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” operation, a botched anti-weapon-smuggling investigation. Holder and other Democrats vehemently opposed the move, calling it partisan politics.
Although the White House has begun interviewing candidates to replace Holder, people familiar with the search said there may be no nominee until after the November midterm elections. Among the possible candidates, those people said, are Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli Jr.; Jenny Durkan, who is stepping down as U.S. attorney in Seattle next week; Tony West, who recently stepped down as associate attorney general; former White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler; Loretta E. Lynch, the U.S. attorney in Brooklyn; and Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan.
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 considered leaving last summer and fall in the heat of the Fast and Furious controversy. But Holder was reluctant to exit at a low point and wanted to do so 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. Since then, he has announced prison- and sentencing-reform initiatives and reengaged on the issue of racial justice in light of the shooting of an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Mo.
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 in Holder’s departure, said people who have spoken with him, emerged when he was taken to a Washington hospital in February after a health scare involving lightheadedness and shortness of breath. 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 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.” Though a close confidant of Obama’s, Holder has had a tense relation with others in the White House. During the president’s first term, the attorney general clashed frequently with some White House aides who came to view him as politically tone-deaf. Just a few weeks after the inauguration of Obama, the nation’s first African American president, for example, the attorney general stirred up ire among conservatives by saying that on racial matters, America has “always been and continues to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards.’’
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. Later, Rahm Emanuel, then Obama’s chief of staff, fought Holder on his highly public announcement that he hoped to try terrorism suspects in federal courts, part of his legal team’s work to help close a U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba., and deliver on an early campaign promise of Obama’s.
NPR first reported the news of Holder’s departure late Thursday morning. In one infamous incident, Holder and Emanuel reportedly cursed each other when Emanuel said the politics of Holder’s Guantanamo plans were threatening to undercut White House efforts to reform health care. The attorney general was forced to reverse course, canceling plans to hold major terrorism trials in a Manhattan federal court instead of at Guantanamo.
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. But Holder now exits 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. Holder has often spoken about race relations in blunter terms than the president, and to this day tells friends and colleagues that he stands by his “nation of cowards” remark and thinks it led to a vital national debate about racial justice.
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. At a speech this week at New York University’s Brennan Center for Justice, Holder said the Ferguson shooting and subsequent protests have left the country at a “moment of decision” about how police interact with racial minorities.
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. The attorney general also proudly noted that the federal prison population has dropped by nearly 5,000 inmates this year, the first decline in decades.
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 after he leaves office, a Justice Department official said, he has spoken with friends and colleagues about establishing a center 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.” Carol D. Leonnig, Hamil R. Harris, Ed O’Keefe and Peyton Craighill contributed to this report.
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.”
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.