Eric Holder: The Complete Interview

CBS Evening News: Katie Couric Asks The Attorney General About Prosecutorial Malfeasance, State Secrets, Gun Laws And More

(CBS)  In an exclusive interview this week, CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric asked Attorney General Eric Holder about prosecutorial malfeasance in the Ted Stevens case, gun laws, Guantanamo, reforming Bush-era politicization of the Justice Department, the state secrets doctrine, and much more.

The full interview appears below. The transcript has only been edited for punctuation, spelling and clarity.

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Couric: Let me start by asking about the - the latest - event.

Couric: In an extraordinary move, a federal judge today opened his own criminal investigation of the U.S. prosecutors handling the Ted Steven's case, saying, quote, "In nearly 25 years on the bench, I've never seen anything approaching the mishandling and misconduct that I've seen here." What's your reaction?

Holder: Well, I'm obviously troubled by the findings that - and the statements that - Judge Sullivan has made. But we'll cooperate fully with the investigation that has been ordered. Judge Sullivan is an old colleague of mine. We served together on the bench here in the DC superior court. I understand that Henry Schulke has been the person named to - run the investigation, a person who I know well, who is a good lawyer here in Washington. So we'll - we'll provide the documents and make people available as is needed.

Couric: But isn't this a pretty stunning vote of no confidence in the Justice Department's ability to investigate itself?

Holder: No, I don't think so. I mean, I think the judge has decided on the basis of what he has seen in front of him that - this step is necessary. And I think we are fully capable of looking at - ourselves, if that was necessary. But the judge has made this determination. And as I say, we'll cooperate with him.

Couric: But he suggested that the department has dragged its feet, looking into the misconduct.

Holder: No, I don't think anybody can say that, given the fact that, in this limited time that I've been - attorney general, I looked at the case, decided that mistakes had been made. And made the determination that the case had to be dismissed, looking at the totality of the circumstances. I've only been - attorney general for a little over eight weeks now. I don't think that anybody can say that this department has dragged its feet.

Couric: But he said the matter was too serious to be left to an internal investigation by the department. So isn't that basically a vote of no confidence?

Holder: No, I don't think so. I think, as I said, that we have the ability to look at this matter. And we'll have the responsibility to look at it. He's ordered a criminal examination to be done. We have to look at whether or not there are internal - regulations that have been broken. So our office of professional responsibility will probably have to conduct its own investigation in any case.

Watch Katie Couric's full interview with Attorney General Eric Holder:



Couric: You're reportedly close to the lead prosecutor, Brenda Morris, who's under investigation for failing, among other things, to disclose crucial information to defense lawyers in this case. Another target of the investigation is, apparently, William Welch, who's head of the office, ironically, of public integrity. Will you fire either one of them? Will they stay on during the course of these investigations?

Holder: Unless there's some basis for me to decide if they have something wrong - they'll remain in place.

Couric: Ted Stevens paid a big price for this. He left his Senate seat. Do you believe he's guilty?

Holder: I focused on the conduct of our lawyers. And I thought that mistakes were made. And on that basis, I made the determination that the case should not proceed. And I really limited myself to that examination.

Couric: He said today at the courthouse, "Until recently, my faith in the criminal system, particularly the judicial system was - was" - let me just actually shorten this. Today at the courthouse, Ted Stevens criticized the prosecutors and said, "They nearly destroyed my faith in the criminal justice system." And then, he went onto say, quote, "Their conduct had consequences for me that they will never realize and can never be reversed." What would you say, Attorney General Holder, to Ted Stevens today?

Holder: Well, I would tell - Senator Stevens, and I would tell the American people that I look at this case as quickly as I could. I was disturbed by what I saw. And I took action as quickly as I could with regard to what I thought the appropriate thing for the Justice Department - to do was. To the extent that there are other things that need to be examined. Judge Sullivan has ordered such an inquiry. We will do an - an internal inquiry ourselves.

Couric: What about the next time your department has to prosecute a high ranking public official? Why should Americans feel confident that your prosecutors will be fair and ethical?

Holder: Because history has shown that the people who work in this department are good lawyers. They're fair lawyers. They follow the rules. We're not gonna be timid. People should not take from this episode any indication that we're going to be intimidated into enforcing the laws, going after those who - who break our laws, especially those who are entrusted - with great political positions. That is gonna be a focus of - this department under me. We're gonna go after white collar criminals.

Couric: The reputation of the Justice Department, as you well know, was seriously tarnished during the last eight years. And many feel politics trumped objectivity in the rule of law. How will you improve the situation and restore the image of the DOJ?

Holder: Well, one of the things is to look at those things that need to be corrected. Look at the various divisions. The civil rights division is a place, I think, that needs special - attention, needs additional resources. I've asked the president for those kinds of resources, in looking at the budget that we have for 2010. I think we're gonna get them.

I think one of the things that the department needs is leadership. And we need to let the people who - who serve in this department, the lawyers who serve in this department, who are extremely dedicated, who sacrifice a great deal to work as lawyers in the Justice Department, simply let them do their jobs. And that's what they want to do. Not get in - not get in their way.

Couric: Well, how - how will you keep politics out of the Justice Department? It seems to have played a role during the Bush administration. Now, perhaps - you know, a democratic agenda came into play during the prosecution of Ted Stevens, possibly. So how can you keep politics out of it?

Holder: Well, let me make some very, very clear. I grew up in the Justice Department. I Se - served - 12 years as a line lawyer in the public integrity section. This department under me will not have any kind of political interference. I will not allow political interference in the Justice Department.

Those who might attempt to do that will be rebuffed. The president gave me this job and asked me to be attorney general, with the specific understanding that I would do nothing in a political way. He said, "You make the difficult calls. We might not always agree on them. Your responsibility is to run the Justice Department - as you see fit." And consistent with the way in which - you had trained as a Justice Department lawyer.

[GovernmentControl]

Does CBS get paid by the obama white house?

[GovernmentControl]

Holder will eventually end up in prison.

[Lizadog]

Mainstream media was and still is a diversion. Liberals don't own broadcasting companies. There are only about five media outlets in the US and they are owned by Capitalists that operate lock-step with one another. The "news" on cable is really entertainment. and they all spew the same lies and propaganda. Cable "news" has been censored for years, and again, the dumbed down Americans can't see that. The only real news and information can only be found on the Internet. www.c-span.org is the only exception for cable news without commentary. While the critics worry about the "liberal media" the North American Union is nearing completion. In 2005 Bush, Canada and Mexico signed an agreement to eliminate all borders and eliminate the dollar. The currency to be used at that point will be the Amero. All three countries will give up their sovereignty and will never be sovereign nations again. There will be no United States of America, only one huge country that will benefit only the elitists. We will soon join the ranks of the third world countries. George Bush's dream come true. While the idiots were watching television and playing video games, President Bush suspended the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. He made it very easy to dump our Republic and slide in Fascism. We have been living in a police state since July 2007 and most Americans haven't a clue.

[nohadji]

Factipars Too bad you lose again. LibTards can never understand that gun control will not work. In fact 61% of Americans don't want any more gun control as shown by the latest CNN poll. We don't have to defend our position because the Constitution backs our position. For Lib's, it is all emotion, for gun owners the facts always back our position.

Katie has an agenda and it is very obvious from this interview. It would be nice if she could actually learn how to report from a neutral stance, but of course her liberal mind does not understand that. It is really disgusting that the MSM has lost their ability to report the news.

[MoJo31]

Katie, Eric you guys are blithering idiots. I wish you would leave the rest of us law abiding citizens alone. If you don't want to have guns, then don't! What if I wanted you and everyone else to give up your cars? More people are killed each year by cars than by guns. Should we ban cars to keep people safe? Hell no, you would never want to give up your car because you are a "safe" driver right? Well why should we give up our guns that don't do near as much damage as cars do? Banning guns will not prevent crime. We will always have criminals willing to kill and break the law with or without guns. Criminals don't follow the law, hence the term "criminal". Only law abiding citizens would follow this not criminals. For example, narcotics (drugs) have been outlawed (banned) completely. It is against the law for ANYONE to have them but has this made any difference in the amount of drugs on the streets for the past couple of decades???? No! So please wake up to reality, we cannot un-invent the gun and criminals will always get their hands on it especially with the immense power it would bring in a "gun free" society where law abiding citizens are disarmed and defenseless. Make any sense to you? Of course not your a liberal who "feels" and doesn't think logically, I forgot, sorry. Maybe next life then.

[Factipars]

Once again we are seeing an organized neo-conservative response to a CBS news interview. The same jingoistic tone, the exact same choice of words, the same flawed "arguments"...half the time I get the feeling it's just one or two people who are posting the bulk these comments.

BTW: the term "Lib-****" really doesn't work all that well. It's never going to gain traction. Please do try to come up with something a bit more clever? Rush Limbaugh was able to create better labels for people he didn't like when he was abusing Oxy-C.

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And shame on Ms. Couric for letting Mr. Holder repeatedly duck every question over and over. It's disturbing just how little this guy seems to know about anything. (Those are his words not mine BTW.)

[nohadji]

Oh Katie, what a pathetic LibTard interview that was. This is one prime reason why CBS news is in the $hitter!! "We The People" are fed up with your pathetic Liberal stance on America. The MSM can't be trusted to report even the smallest story with any truth.

First Katie get your damn facts straight about guns and Mexico. The nice LibTard lie was proven weeks ago to be completely false by our own BATF. The real number is 17% of these firearms come from America. Those are being brought in by illegals smuggling them back across the border and not by law abiding Americans. You are doing a great disservice to our country when you open your trap and spew non-stop lies.

Second- The AWB was a pathetic law written by complete morons like ******** and McCarthy and Biden. This law did absolutely nothing to decrease gun crimes. Why, well because criminals don't give a damn about laws.

Third- There is no such thing as a gun show loop hole. Again pathetic LibTard reporting. I don't even know how you can call it reporting, it should be called slandering!! Did you just call that pathetic organization the "Brady Bunch" and ask them what lies you could spew during the interview. Katie why don't you call the NRA and ask to meet with them so that you can get an objective opinion. Hell Wayne would probably even take you to the shooting range so you could actually get an education on firearms. Ask Ted Nuggent, I know he would take you shooting.

CBS News and Katie, if you continue to spew this LibTard slant on your newscast, you are quickly going to have zero viewership. Have you not been paying attention to FoxNews lately. Yah thats right, they have the top 10 news programs in the country. Glenn Beck, Hannity and OReily blow away every other news station out there. Why you ask, simple they don't report with a LibTard slant. If you want to stay in business, I suggest you learn how to do that yourself.

[mr-cheese]

I don't think viewers like japete are really interested in the law. Otherwise they would wonder aloud what happens to all of those individuals who fail the background check becasue they are convicted felons. The answer is "nothing". Though it is a felony for a convicted felon to attempt to purchase a firearm, and many are rejected each year, none are prosecuted by the Dept. of Justice. Do we need more gun laws or should we just enforce the many we already have? Also, Katie mentioned the influence that the NRA has been exerting on Congress but failed to mention the funding from The Brady Center or George Soros. That smells like news making rather than news reporting to me. Please remember that the Second Amendment guarantees all others.

[dugga1]

You people in the "news" business are supposed to _inform_ us. Instead, you simply misdirect and obfuscate.

Item: By definition, there is no such thing as an "unlicensed (gun) dealer." Nor "gun show loophole." What Katy Couric was bloviating about last night on the Evening "News" is private citizens buying and selling personal property. I defy you to show us an "unlicensed dealer." C'mon, just one will do...!

Item: If you choose to refer to self-loading firearms as "assault weapons," how do you differentiate them from the actual select-fire, military (and police _only_) firearms also known as "assault weapons"? Do you care?

Item: 90% of the guns _reported to the BATFE by the Mexican government_ come from the U.S.. Fact: Only about 25% of the guns confiscated are reported by the Mexicans! Yet another fine example of obfuscation and misdirection!

Item: Your insistence on improper word usage makes you appear ignorant at best - and agenda-driven at worst. Why should we believe you about anything? You feed us half-truths and expect us to be so stupid as to swallow it!

Item: CBS is very quick to defend the First Amendment; why do you disparage the Second? Why have your viewers _never_ seen a program or interview in which the Second Amendment is viewed in a favorable - or even neutral - light?

Item: If your business model calls for being an "op-ed" source, fine. If it calls for your being a "news" agency - you're failing badly.

Are you _still_ in the dark about why no one takes your "news" seriously?

[phila48]

Mr. Holden, it has been months since I have tried to contact your office through emails and so on. Abuse of Power with the State Police and Domestic Violence. Please, hear my voice.

[megawhy]

I think we need media to monitor the media. There is no longer an unbiased mainstream media. Gosh do you think Katie had an agenda? It is sickening.

[megawhy]

"Holder: Well, they - spend time - with the person who's being questioned. They - in some way - establish a trust relationship with them. And then, information seems to flow. The FBI has done a good job throughout it's history, and actually did a good job in interacting with the detainees - who they - who they had - interaction with."

That sounds like it would work on hardened terrorists.....LOL

[japete]

Thanks to Katie Couric for her persistence in questioning Attorney General Holder on the issue of the gun show loophole and background checks. It's time for the media to hold our elected and appointed officials accountable to the majority of people ( over 80%) who believe that background checks should be required for all gun sales. This would not infringe on anyone's rights. It is the responsible thing to do. I am disappointed that Mr. Holder has backed off of his original positions because 65 House Democrats sent him a letter telling him not to pursue this issue. Shame on them and shame on Mr. Holder for listenting to them instead of the public. When will our leaders stand up to the powerful, well-funded and influential gun lobby? If almost 60 people had died from eating pistachio nuts in the matter of a few weeks, you can bet there would be a bill on the House floor; but then, the pistachio nut industry likely doesn't have a powerful lobby working to stop any common sense legislation that would save lives. We expect our leaders to lead and speak truth to power. 32 Americans are murdered by guns every day in this country. That is 32 too many. The 10th Anniversary of Columbine is coming up on April 20th. The guns used to kill those innocent students were purchased for the shooters by a friend from an unlicensed dealer at a gun show. How many lives could have been saved then and how many have been lost since because we are too afraid to challenge the NRA? Enough is enough. Keep asking those tough questions, Katie. Maybe the media can actually make a difference.

[tincup356]

We Americans had better be glad we have the second amendment,,,,,,ans Washington should recheck history and see why our forefathers put that into law.......it was a safety check for the citizens to use against a CORRUPT government,,,,,,,,, Look at what Washington has turned out to be,,,,,,,no wonder they worry about citizens being armed,,,,,,,the more of us they rob and put into the streets.......the closer they come to seeing the people stand up and put a stop to the treasonous acts of congress.

[mingy62]

Couric is her usual self.

She didn't even ask if the Stevens prosecutors were holdovers from a Democratic administration. She didn't ask about the possibility that they were lefties out to perform a political hit on Ted Stevens. She already had a couple of big precedents for Democratic politicization of the legal process, with the Duke lacrosse team case, and the firing of 90+ US attorneys by the Clinton/Reno justice department. But nooooo.

She made a fool out of herself when she suggested the Bush justice department was politicized - after firing only eight attorneys. Even if the Bush justice department was politicized, it certainly cut against Republicans in the Stevens case.

Moreover, she either was too oblivious or too partisan to ask this lying buffoon (Elian Gonzales was not taken at gunpoint - those were Holder's words) about the politicization of overruling his own counsel in the DC Voting Rights act, and scaring up an argument in favor of giving DC a voting representative, which has been deemed unconstitutional for decades. That is, until Holder came along and decided he wants to push for a permanent Democrat seat. THAT is politicization, right under her nose. Which was firmly planted in his backside.

Finally, she served up a softball with the lie that 90% of guns used in these Mexican drug deals come from the U.S. That's confused misrepresentation, which I could call by a shorter word, and our attorney general let her perpetuate a lie.

90% of all TRACED guns come from the US, which amounts to about 17% of the total. The other 83% have markings that indicate that they come from other countries, so they are not even traced.

This is CBS. See? BS.

[MNViewer]

I appreciated Ms. Couric pressing Mr. Holder for some indication that they will do something to tighten up some of these gun laws. There's an element in the country that's against even the most common sense laws that would slow the proliferation of guns in the country. The NRA and conservative talk radio hosts have stirred the pot, and many of these folks believe the Obama administration has a plan to take away their guns and their rights. Unfortunately, some of these people are mentally unstable like the gunman in Pittsburg who ambushed and killed the three policemen. It's time for the Justice Dept. to lead on this issue, not waffle like Mr. Holder seemed to do.

[goffredo29]

"As usual Mr. Holder is talking out of both sides of his mouth at the same time saying nothing and he is head of the justice department? Like many that have been selected for posts in the government their veracity seems to be less than it should be, when pressed on issues all you get is a song and dance. "

Boy, you said it! Where'd the guy go that was saying stuff like "When it comes to race Americans are cowards." It wasn't this guy.

Please say a prayer for the victims of the earthquake in Italy.

[georgeset]

We're short on patience with Katie Couric's interviewing tactics, rephrasing the questions in order to get Eric Holder to answer the way "she" wants! This isn't the lst such incident she has tried this rude & selfish tactic. How many times is she going to ask about the NRA, influence, interests, friends, in hopes she gets her answer and can then slam the NRA? Or the open gun shows? So she hates both of them and will use her position to discredit them. She has a personal adgenda and uses the News Media to further her cause and platform.
Sorry Katie, there are too many lawabiding gun owners and members of NRA that respect the 2nd amendment for you to disrupt and damage or eliminate what our forefathers gave us.
Try following the gun trail into Mexico from South America, China, Chec,
& Russia. Thats where the AK47s are mfg. Don't be so blinded by selfish friends and informants that feed you your bias information.

[doozytoo]

MS Courics question: "What about gun shows? In over 30 states, people can simply walk into gun shows and buy a gun, sometimes, from unlicensed dealers without a background check. Would you support closing the gun show loophole?"

This is just plain nonsense and illustrates her liberal bias. There are still background checks required.

[bweidman]

As usual Ms Couric is "misstating" facts again. The 90% of guns used is patently false, even the ATF says so. What is true is 17% of the guns used in Mexico can be traced to the United States. I wonder how many orginally went there for their police or army and were then sold on the black market. Mexico has extrodinarily strict gun control laws. Nice to see how much good they're doing.