Will Clinton Pardons Mar Cabinet Pick?

Washington Post: Some Republicans To Try Use Eric Holder's Role In The Clinton Administration Against Him

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Carrie Johnson.

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The Republican National Committee yesterday highlighted the role of attorney general candidate Eric H. Holder Jr. in controversial 2001 pardons, but GOP senators avoided direct attacks on Barack Obama's leading choice to lead the Justice Department.

Republican congressional aides said no information had emerged that would disqualify Holder, a former D.C. Superior Court judge and U.S. attorney in the District, from serving as the nation's top law enforcement officer. But Capitol Hill aides from both sides of the aisle nonetheless hauled out seven-year-old hearing records to refresh their memories about Holder's inability to prevent a presidential pardon for fugitive Marc Rich on the final day of the Clinton administration.

On its own, the pardon issue is unlikely to derail Holder's bid for the post, if he is, as expected, formally nominated to become the first black attorney general, four congressional sources representing both political parties said yesterday.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) noted that Holder won confirmation in 1997 as the department's second in command without a single negative vote, and he predicted a similar outcome.

Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), the second-ranking Republican on the Judiciary panel, told reporters late yesterday that he would support Holder and said the pardon issue would not outweigh Holder's reputation and experience.

Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) told home-state reporters yesterday that Holder, 57, has impeccable credentials. But he said he would reserve judgment until he sifted through congressional testimony about the pardons.

"It's going to be much more controversial than a new administration ought to try to put forth," Grassley said, according to a transcript on his Web site.

Holder has acknowledged that during a busy period while serving as acting attorney general under President Bill Clinton, he did not spend enough time reviewing a pardon petition filed by politically connected lawyers for Rich. Rich was charged with evading more than $48 million in taxes, and he fled to avoid trial. His ex-wife was a prolific donor to the Democratic Party.

In February 2001, Holder testified about the issue in front of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, facing fierce questions from Chairman Dan Burton (R-Ind.). Committee Democrats later cited Holder for "bad judgment" but rejected tougher sanctions.

Joseph diGenova, a former U.S. attorney in the District and a self-avowed "lifelong Republican," said yesterday that he would testify about Holder's sterling credentials and temperate judgment at a possible confirmation hearing.

"He is one of the most singularly well-qualified people to ever be nominated to serve as attorney general," diGenova said. ". . . If the Republicans go after him, they're going to make a terrible mistake."

Prominent members of the law enforcement community also voiced support. William Bratton, chief of the Los Angeles police and a former New York police commissioner, said Holder has an intimate knowledge of local policing that most previous attorney generals lacked.

Over 25 years of public service, Holder supported federal grants for state and local police initiatives. Among the projects he backed were campaigns to prevent domestic violence, hate crimes and child abuse, according to Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum. The bulk of those funds have been cut since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks made national security the Justice Department's top priority.

"He's an individual who has a lot of relationships in the heart of the criminal justice system, and that can't help but be helpful, particularly when local forces are dealing with violent crime and homeland security," Bratton said in an interview. "He's somebody who would begin with a very big head start about the issues."

Holder's tenure in the Clinton administration has also made him a fresh target of GOP operatives, who questioned yesterday whether Obama's naming of so many Washington veterans with ties to the former first couple would truly bring, as an RNC statement put it, "the bipartisan 'change' to Washington that [Obama] promised voters."

RNC spokeswoman Amber Wilkerson said in the statement, "Barack Obama is rewarding yet another one of his political loyalists in Eric Holder."

But Barbara R. Arnwine, head of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, drew the opposite conclusion. In an e-mail interview, she said that Holder "has the experience, the integrity and the vision to restore the program and reputation of the Department of Justice which has been undermined by a number of his predecessors."

Research editor Alice Crites contributed to this report.

[foundme-2009]

What is causing the economic problems in this country? Businesspeople? Politicians? Lawyers? or all three? The sad part is this did not happen overnight. But equally as sad, it must be CHANGED overnight or our country is doomed. Intellectuals; where are they? http://www.16lunchtime42.com
http://howgbeattheirs.spaces.live.com/

[txgrouch2007]

bush should pardon cheney, rummy, then resign and let cheney grant bush a pardon.
Posted by danceswolves at 02:58 PM : Nov 20, 2008

He''s afraid Cheney would double-cross him and throw him in jail himself instead.

[danceswolves]

Posted by pdchapin at 02:51 PM : Nov 20, 2008
ok just how did bubba personally produce all those high tech high paying jobs that americans are too stupid to do? manufacturing is history in the US. i agree about pardons. bush should pardon cheney, rummy, then resign and let cheney grant bush a pardon.

[pdchapin]

don''''t rewrite history. demotards did nothing in 90''''s. 22 million new jobs Bubba used to say. Somewhere a waitress at Waffle House said "yeah and 3 of them are mine!"

Posted by danceswolves at 02:14 PM : Nov 20, 2008

This is a common mistaken belief because the the switch from industrial to service jobs. However, service jobs include financial and medical services and a lot of high tech jobs. The average wage of the service job created in the 90''s was higher than the average wage of the industrial job lost. Look it up. Of course, that didn''t help the individual laid off production line worker who wasn''t qualified for the high paying service jobs.

And the right to pardon lies with the President and nobody can stop him for any reason. This is a whole lot about very little.

[jtleseth]

ANYBODY KNOW WHAT IS A ''" BUM''S RUSH" '' ????

[credibility2]

Holder''s lack of objective judgment in the Rich issue probably won''t disqualify him, but he does need to explain himself. Holder should have either attempted to dissuade Clinton from the eleventh hour pardon, or step aside on the decision. If he were a Repub in a similar situation, the Dems would toast him on their spit.

[antoniof123]

I LOVE it! The people who gave us George W. Bush and GONZO are trying to play goody goody on this Nomination!! ROFLMAO Wow!!
Posted by Irmcvet97 at 01:08 PM : Nov 20, 2008

I know after reading this and then the first few comments I thought the same thing. My God these neo cons are dumber than dirt and angry too.

[jtleseth]

here we go,,,out comes the PRESS PASS,,,,,.......................On its own, the pardon issue is unlikely to derail Holder''s bid for the post, if he is, as expected, ........................................................my respect for MAINSTREAM PURPORTORS...is in a continual swan dive,,,,and I am not alone by no means.......Washington Post: Some Republicans To Try Use Eric Holder''s Role In The Clinton Administration Against Him.....why would you have to be a Republican to lift your eyebrows about the pardon of a man who was once #2 MOST WANTED by the FBI.....lets get objective folks......this us vs. them is getting mighty old.......how bout his views on the 2nd amendment......explain his obvious over the top concerns for our enemies?.....death penalty? how does he feel about Gonzales? silly huh,,,,,to probe anyone from the O man camp.....got his start, from Reagan,,,,,prominence from Clinton,,,,,,than a c ya like all other Clintonians jump shippers......really the real OBAMA is surfacing,,,,,,,,or should I say the real puppet masters are coming out of the woodwork......run Press ,,,run.....

[irmcvet97]

All these Clinton re-treads Obama is choosing!

Oh the Change, glorious Change!

But it seems I remember our Dear Leader saying that Washington can''''t be fixed by the same old insiders...

Posted by HawkSprings at 12:18 PM : Nov 20, 2008

TRULY are you SERIOUS?? ROFLMAO I mean ANYONE who has lived through the most INCOMPETENT, Corrupt Administration in US HISTORY can''t see the Change here? You are either totally BLIND or so hung up on the "Party" that you will say anything to stop the change from happening. I sure as helll trust this man who HAS been in the JUSTICE Department BEFORE the Worst in our History turned it into an Arm of the Republican Party. Now IF he is to restore it to the position the Department was before GONZO, he''d better pick someone who KNOWS what it''s supposed to look like don''t you think. Try... PLEASE just TRY to care MORE for your Country than your PARTY... just ONCE!!

[irmcvet97]

I LOVE it! The people who gave us George W. Bush and GONZO are trying to play goody goody on this Nomination!! ROFLMAO Wow!!

[wingnutsblow]

Posted by HawkSprings

George Bush claimed he was "a uniter, not a divider", we all know how that worked out. Say it with me, "President Barack Obama...President Barack Obama" There, now that wasn''t so bad, was it?

[cutlerscool]

Eric Holder is a tough, honest prosecuting attorney. Crooks are in jail because of Eric holder.

No wonder Republican are trying to discredit him.

[afmca]

The RNC attacking another well qualified African-American. They really do not get it; do they?

[ramos937]

RNC spokeswoman Amber Wilkerson said in the statement, "Barack Obama is rewarding yet another one of his political loyalists in Eric Holder."
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There is an old but valid saying, "It is best to be thought a fool than to open one''s mouth and confirm it". Ms. Wilkerson just proved its validity.

[whitemale08]

It''s amazing how the non-issue of Bill Ayers and the Weather Underground is biting back at the Clintons when they tried to use it against Obama "when he was 8 years old".

[aldon61]

This guy has over 25 years of public service and ONE bad case of judgement is all that we''re talking about? Come on, look at Gonzales, heck, look at the entire Bush administration, compare their judgements collectively. This guy should be a shoo-in for attorney general; good choice Obama!