The Student Newspaper of Saint Peter's Prep

The Petroc

The Student Newspaper of Saint Peter's Prep

The Petroc

The Student Newspaper of Saint Peter's Prep

The Petroc

Eric Holder To Resign As Attorney General Leaves Behind a Complicated Legacy

Last week, President Obama confirmed that Eric Holder will step down as Attorney General, the nation’s highest legal counsel  as soon as a replacement is confirmed. Mr. Holder was one of the most trusted members of the Obama cabinet and is the fourth-longest serving AG in history. Reports suggest he has been “adamant” in his desire to leave.

 

      Mr. Holder will be remembered as an inspiring champion of civil rights and a force for change within the justice department. During his time as AG he fought for reform in the U.S. criminal code in areas that he felt targeted young black men disproportionately. He was unafraid of head-to-head battles with Republican lawmakers over hot-button issues such as Voter I.D. and Stand Your Ground.

 

     Elevated to the position in 2009, Holder was a vocal proponent of gay marriage and the legalization of marijuana. He placed himself at the center of a nationwide racial discourse following the tragic shootings of both Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown. Holder also pushed for softer prison sentences for nonviolent drug offenders.

 

     His challenging rhetoric made him no stranger to controversy. Many were unsettled at comments made during a 2009 Black History Month speech when Holder called America “a nation of cowards” when it came to discussing racial issues. Most saw Holder as far too lax when it came to his department’s handling of homeland security. He fought hard to close the American prison complex at Guantanamo Bay. He also encountered vehement pushback when he fought to have 9/11 plotters tried in federal court in New York City, receiving the full protection of the American judicial system,rather than in military court.

 

      Mr. Holder’s reforms leave a complicated legacy not only for himself but also for the office of Attorney General as a whole. His consistently progressive record left Republicans constantly at odds with his policies. Darrel Issa, a Republican congressman from California, called him “the most divisive Attorney General in modern history.” Many feel Mr. Holder engaged in an unsettling amount of political back-and-fourth with lawmakers. His willingness to do so carried his office into murky territory. Commentators on both-sides of the aisle agree that the justice department should sit high above the constant mudslinging that is common to the legislature.

 

     What promises even more conflict is the tricky fight to choose his replacement. The timing of his departure conveniently would allow for a Senate vote on the next AG while the. Democrats still have their majority. Once the new Senate is sworn in on January 5th, 2015, polls indicate the Republicans will be in control. If the vote were to be extended into this time frame, the Republicans would surely seize the opportunity to stick up their nose at even the most moderate of Obama’s choices.

    While there are no clear front runners, the list of candidates to succeed Holder includes Kathryn Ruemmler, a former White House counsel; Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts; Donald Verrilli jr., the Solicitor General; Jennifer Granholm, former governor of Michigan; Sheldon White House, a Senator from Rhode Island; and Loretta Lynch, the United States attorney in Brooklyn.