Holder To Visit Gitmo Next Monday

By: Michelle Levi
Topics: Justice Department

(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Attorney General Eric Holder, whom President Obama has tasked with overseeing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention center, will be visiting the facility next Monday,CBS News' Stephanie Lambidakis reports.

Holder told reporters about the trip following a speech on Black History Month at the Justice Department today.

"We need to have our feet on the ground to really see what is going on down at the facility to see how people are being detained, to talk to people down there about the interrogation techniques that are being used," Holder said. "I think that will be an important first step as we try to resolve the issues that the president has put before me as the chairman of those review committees."

Separately, a report from the department's ethics' watchdog, OPR, currently sits on Holder's desk, which reportedly rebukes 3 former Bush administration lawyers for their legal advice allowing the use of water-boarding and other "enhanced interrogation technique" at the prison, CBS News' Andrew Cohen writes.

On his third day in office, President Obama ordered that the notorious prison camp be closed within one year. The pressing questions: where the prisoners would be transferred, where will they be tried and detained, and what constitutes the American definition of "torture ."

The attorney general was also asked why the Justice Department has not moved to file charges against Texas financier R. Allen Stanford who federal SEC investigators charged with "massive" fraud centering around high-interest-rate certificates of deposit, Tuesday.

Holder said he could not comment on the specific case.

He did say, however, that "this department will be vigilant in the detection of that kind of fraud and that is especially true given the magnitude of the stimulus effort and the recovery effort. We want to make sure that the money gets into the right hands for the right reasons and to the extent that people try to misuse the program that is being put in place...we will do all we can to make sure we hold those cases accountable."

After 2 weeks on the job, Holder is maintaining his rock star status. He spent 10 minutes signing autographs on the programs for the Black History Month event after his very personal speech on race in America. At the end of his brief press conference, one department employee implored him, saying "please Mr. Holder, one more picture please."

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by indptex February 18, 2009 8:31 PM EST: When do we start celebrating white history month!?; Reply to this comment


by jimbosouth February 18, 2009 8:24 PM EST: Amazing! No mention by this reporter about Holder''s claim that we are a "Nation of cowards" because we don''t talk about race enough. I thought /hoped we had put so much of this hyped-up Jackson-Sharpton race baiting behind us in Novemebr. Does this clown really think he would be AG today if Obama hadn''t been elected. He actually should have been disbarred along with his former boss for his role in the Mark Rich fiasco. What a joke.; Reply to this comment


by loonyleft February 18, 2009 7:20 PM EST: The hoopla over loony-left liberal d-crat TAX CHEATS geithner, daschle, killefer, solis and countless others was just a warm-up to the ultimate, atrocious cabinet appointment - that of the incompetent, intellectually challenged, bottom-feeder holder.

holder is so BAD he even makes Gonzo look semi-competent.

Besides repeatedly coddling terrorists, holder''s main effort for bill clinton was to protect bill''s sugardaddy, marc rich, so that rich could continue to provide millions to both bill and hillary. holder, acting like the classic step-n-fetch-it, helped bill to pardon the fugitive rich for his many crimes.

There is no doubt holder will do similar, disgusting things for the marxist drug addict. He will do everything possible to protect hussein''s sugardaddy, tony rezko, so that this convicted felon can continue to slip thousands to hussein in land-deals and under-the-table payments. In addition, he''ll work hard to further protect and coddle terrorists and illegal immigrants, like hussein''s criminal aunt (note to ICE: after attending the inauguration, she is now hiding in Cleveland and still ignoring the deportation order).

Now that''s "Change we can deceive in".; Reply to this comment


by newfunkypres February 18, 2009 7:02 PM EST: I don''''t see many people willing to take custody or responsibility for these fine people we have locked up...
Posted by mav547166

Why should anyone else? This was Bush and Cheney''s blunder 100%. They and thier supporters get full credit for whatever BAD happens.; Reply to this comment


by newfunkypres February 18, 2009 6:57 PM EST: which reportedly rebukes 3 former Bush administration lawyers for their legal advice allowing the use of water-boarding and other %u201Cenhanced interrogation technique" at the prison...

Rebukes? REBUKES??? Enough was done to prepare for some executions. There better be some damned arrests and trials and hopefully convictions. These were War Crimes.; Reply to this comment


by mav547166 February 18, 2009 6:49 PM EST: Hmmm, I don''t see many people willing to take custody or responsibility for these fine people we have locked up. I''m sure they are just misunderstood. I mean they only wanted to kill Americans. This war will never end as long as we keep letting our enemy loose to kill again.; Reply to this comment


by saintpeterii February 18, 2009 6:42 PM EST: Holder is correct in saying that Americans are a nation of cowards when it comes to race. However, it''s easy to talk of others, let''s see where he stands when attorney general and he presides over a justice system that is very separate and unequal in the handing out of justice. Let''s see if Holder has the guts to tackle the rampant discrimination that characterizes the American justice system. It is mere child''s play to determine the fact that this system provides a separate and unequal justice for blacks, hispanics and poor whites. Select any crime category and see how those with the money for a real lawyer make out, then do the same with the same number of those who are represented by public pretenders. The difference is clear as a bell. What is in doubt is if an old political bureaucrat like Holder has the integrity to take a stand. If not why doesn''t he just forget about calling other people cowards, enjoy the free lunch, the photo ops with the rest of the beltway bureaurats and get off his high horse. editorial cartoons at http://www.saintpeterii.com; Reply to this comment


by mattcat25 February 18, 2009 5:42 PM EST: The Republicans are proud of their Guantanamo Bay Prison. Gitmo served as the center piece to illustrate where the $Billions (diverted to Private Contractors) were being $pent on Bush%u2019s WAR-ON-TERROR!

In reality most, maybe all of the inmates housed down there in Guantanamo Bay Prison were rounded up at random just because they were "Muslim Looking" and fit the profile to be put on exhibit conveyed to the world as hardened, dedicated, and fanatical radical Islamic Terrorists.

The Bush-Cheney Administration didn''t want to divulge the details and cause for detention of each and any of the inmates and refused to move forward with charges for years.

The Bush Administration claimed that these prisoners were war on terror detainees but, didn''t fall under the Geneva Convention Prisoner of War statutes.

The Republican Administration used their war on terror and Guantanamo Bay detainees to help support and rescind Americans right to the Writ of Habeas Corpus declaring National Security to cover-up their subversive and political oppositional tactics.

Rush Limbaugh sold T-shirts with "Club Gitmo!" printed on them. And, what is most disturbing is people purchased and wore them.; Reply to this comment