Attorney General Eric Holder will announce resignation

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**Dreadclaw69**

http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/25/politics/eric-holder-resignation/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Washington (CNN) -- Attorney General Eric Holder will announce Thursday that he will resign after six years at the Justice Department helm. The attorney general has agreed to remain in his post until the confirmation of his successor, a Justice Department official has confirmed to CNN.
At a formal announcement later Thursday, Holder plans to express his personal gratitude to President Barack Obama for the opportunity to serve in his administration and to lead the Justice Department, which he will call the "greatest honor of my professional life."
Holder has discussed his plans personally with the President on multiple occasions in recent months, and finalized those plans in an hour-long conversation with the President at the White House residence over Labor Day weekend, the official said.
Holder will note in his remarks that he has loved the Justice Department since, when he was a boy, he watched how -- under Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy -- the Justice Department played a leadership role in advancing the civil rights movement. During his tenure as attorney general, Holder has had Kennedy's portrait in his conference room.
The attorney general is one of only three members from Obama's original Cabinet still serving in the post.
Holder was sworn in as the 82nd attorney general in February 2009 after serving as President Bill Clinton's deputy attorney general, the first African-American to serve in that position.
Previously, the Columbia Law School graduate was U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia and served during President Ronald Reagan's administration as an associate judge at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
Holder unveils program to counter recruiting by extremist groups
Feds launch prove of Ferguson police department
Some conservatives: Holder playing racial politics

**Frazzled**

The only DA in US history to run guns the cartels and maybe the only one held in contempt by Congress.

**whembly**

As I mentioned in that other thread...

Either he really wants to spend more time with his family, which let's be honest, it's likely...

...or another shoe is going to drop (ie, Fast & Furious). Maybe the idea is to get his replacement confirmed before the GOP gains the majority in January?? Considering that it would be an even more obvious ploy if Holder waited until the mid-terms and it was official the GOP would have control in a few months.

Still... odd timing.

*shrugs*

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Frazzled wrote:
The only DA in US history to run guns the cartels

Allegedly.

and maybe the only one held in contempt by Congress.

Yep.

**Sasori**

Good Riddance.

**Frazzled**

Maybe he's going to stand in front of a polling place with the New Black Panthers he refused to prosecute to help motivate the right kind of votes.

**d-usa**

Politics in a nutshell:

"Holder should resign, we know he is incompetent!!!"
*Holder resigns"
"Why the hell is he resigning, what don't we know!!!"

**Co'tor Shas**

Why do Republicans hate holder so much? I don't really like him (a combination of F&F and not prosecuting those who caused the recession), but I don't see anything that warrants the level of bile directed at him.

**LordofHats**

Co'tor Shas wrote:
Why do Republicans hate holder so much? I don't really like him (a combination of F&F and not prosecuting those who caused the recession), but I don't see anything that warrants the level of bile directed at him.

He made the call to stop defending DOMA in court and was involved in selling guns to drug dealers

Mexicans with guns and gays, two things the Republican party doesn't approve of /outofcontextstatements

**Frazzled**

Co'tor Shas wrote:
Why do Republicans hate holder so much? I don't really like him (a combination of F&F and not prosecuting those who caused the recession), but I don't see anything that warrants the level of bile directed at him.

*He authorized selling guns to cartel members, partially in an effort to then say cartel members are getting US guns so we needz new gun lawz. Multiple muyrders, including that of a US agent have been tied back to those firearms.

*He refused to prosecute New Black panther members who were initimidating voters at several polling places.

Thats just year one.

*He sued multiple states currently under oversight from the CRA, to stop voter ID, even though the exact lanugage had been approved by SCOTUS previously.

*He surveiled the entire Washington Post phone system, and tried to allege a Fox reporter was a Co-Conspirator to a whistle blower.

I think of five to fity more presently.

**Co'tor Shas**

LordofHats wrote:
Co'tor Shas wrote:
Why do Republicans hate holder so much? I don't really like him (a combination of F&F and not prosecuting those who caused the recession), but I don't see anything that warrants the level of bile directed at him.

He made the call to stop defending DOMA in court and was involved in selling guns to drug dealers

Mexicans with guns and gays, two things the Republican party doesn't approve of /outofcontextstatements

It seems the reactionary wing of the party is getting bigger and bigger, and it loves to hate people. It's like the Obama hate, yes you disagree with his political veiws, that doesn't mean you should call for his imprisonment (and in some cases death).

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Frazzled wrote:
Co'tor Shas wrote:
Why do Republicans hate holder so much? I don't really like him (a combination of F&F and not prosecuting those who caused the recession), but I don't see anything that warrants the level of bile directed at him.

*He authorized selling guns to cartel members, partially in an effort to then say cartel members are getting US guns so we needz new gun lawz. Multiple muyrders, including that of a US agent have been tied back to those firearms.

*He refused to prosecute New Black panther members who were initimidating voters at several polling places.

Thats just year one.

*He sued multiple states currently under oversight from the CRA, to stop voter ID, even though the exact lanugage had been approved by SCOTUS previously.

And that warrants calling for his imprisonment and/or death?

**MWHistorian**

Co'tor Shas wrote:
Why do Republicans hate holder so much? I don't really like him (a combination of F&F and not prosecuting those who caused the recession), but I don't see anything that warrants the level of bile directed at him.

Because he allowed Americans to get killed by running guns to drug dealers in Mexico in an attempt to blame American gun ownership.
How he didn't go to jail for that one is beyond me.

**Co'tor Shas**

MWHistorian wrote:
Co'tor Shas wrote:
Why do Republicans hate holder so much? I don't really like him (a combination of F&F and not prosecuting those who caused the recession), but I don't see anything that warrants the level of bile directed at him.

Because he allowed Americans to get killed by running guns to drug dealers in Mexico in an attempt to blame American gun ownership.
How he didn't go to jail for that one is beyond me.

What is illigal about that. Wrong, and he should have lost his job, but illegal?

**Frazzled**

Co'tor Shas wrote:
LordofHats wrote:
Co'tor Shas wrote:
Why do Republicans hate holder so much? I don't really like him (a combination of F&F and not prosecuting those who caused the recession), but I don't see anything that warrants the level of bile directed at him.

He made the call to stop defending DOMA in court and was involved in selling guns to drug dealers

Mexicans with guns and gays, two things the Republican party doesn't approve of /outofcontextstatements

It seems the reactionary wing of the party is getting bigger and bigger, and it loves to hate people. It's like the Obama hate, yes you disagree with his political veiws, that doesn't mean you should call for his imprisonment (and in some cases death).

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Frazzled wrote:
Co'tor Shas wrote:
Why do Republicans hate holder so much? I don't really like him (a combination of F&F and not prosecuting those who caused the recession), but I don't see anything that warrants the level of bile directed at him.

*He authorized selling guns to cartel members, partially in an effort to then say cartel members are getting US guns so we needz new gun lawz. Multiple muyrders, including that of a US agent have been tied back to those firearms.

*He refused to prosecute New Black panther members who were initimidating voters at several polling places.

Thats just year one.

*He sued multiple states currently under oversight from the CRA, to stop voter ID, even though the exact lanugage had been approved by SCOTUS previously.

And that warrants calling for his imprisonment and/or death?

I'm surprised you didn't start by calling me a racist.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Co'tor Shas wrote:
MWHistorian wrote:
Co'tor Shas wrote:
Why do Republicans hate holder so much? I don't really like him (a combination of F&F and not prosecuting those who caused the recession), but I don't see anything that warrants the level of bile directed at him.

Because he allowed Americans to get killed by running guns to drug dealers in Mexico in an attempt to blame American gun ownership.
How he didn't go to jail for that one is beyond me.

What is illigal about that. Wrong, and he should have lost his job, but illegal?

WHAT IS ILLEGAL ABOUT SELLING FIREARMS TO CARTEL MEMBERS?????

**d-usa**

Remember guys, republicans are now claiming that people don't kill people but that guns kill people.

**Ouze**

Frazzled wrote:
The only DA in US history to run guns the cartels and maybe the only one held in contempt by Congress.

There have been plenty of executive branch figures nearly held in contempt previously. In my opinion, that he was actually held in contempt doesn't so much reflect on him personally as being "worse" that the previous people on this list so much as that as partisan as our politics have become, the mere thread of contempt is no longer adequate to produce co-operation.

I expect history will bear me out on this: he won't be an anomaly, and contempt proceedings will become a regular affair independent of party.

Anyway I found Holder to be a fairly mediocre AG. He wasn't the worst, and he was pretty damn far from the best. I think I was most irritated with his decision to no longer defend DOMA. I don't agree with the law, and also feel it's unconstitutional - and clearly so - but I also don't feel it's the place of the executive to make that determination and use it to decide to no longer enforce it. I would have preferred they use the bully pulpit to urge the people, via Congress, to alter or remove the offending legislation.

**whembly**

Co'tor Shas wrote:
Why do Republicans hate holder so much? I don't really like him (a combination of F&F and not prosecuting those who caused the recession), but I don't see anything that warrants the level of bile directed at him.

Reasons off the top of my head and around the 'Net...

#1) Provided false testimony under oath to Congress

#2) Fast & Furious

#3) As Frazz mentioned, dismissal of New Black Panther intimidation case (prosecutorial discretion and all)

#4) Refused to allow DOJ to enforce Motor Voter Law™ (which DOJ forces roll cleanups of ineligible voters).

#5) Never heard of this before... but, the Al-Qaeda Bar

#6) Open-Borders Radicalism™

#7) Holder's attack on Religious Liberty (Obamacare stuff, and that Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and
School v. U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, that the SC pimp slapped him over)

#8) Is actually in Contempt of Congress. Which he has zero feth given over... so, he's sorta boss at that.

**Co'tor Shas**

Frazzled wrote:
Co'tor Shas wrote:
LordofHats wrote:
Co'tor Shas wrote:
Why do Republicans hate holder so much? I don't really like him (a combination of F&F and not prosecuting those who caused the recession), but I don't see anything that warrants the level of bile directed at him.

He made the call to stop defending DOMA in court and was involved in selling guns to drug dealers

Mexicans with guns and gays, two things the Republican party doesn't approve of /outofcontextstatements

It seems the reactionary wing of the party is getting bigger and bigger, and it loves to hate people. It's like the Obama hate, yes you disagree with his political veiws, that doesn't mean you should call for his imprisonment (and in some cases death).

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Frazzled wrote:
Co'tor Shas wrote:
Why do Republicans hate holder so much? I don't really like him (a combination of F&F and not prosecuting those who caused the recession), but I don't see anything that warrants the level of bile directed at him.

*He authorized selling guns to cartel members, partially in an effort to then say cartel members are getting US guns so we needz new gun lawz. Multiple muyrders, including that of a US agent have been tied back to those firearms.

*He refused to prosecute New Black panther members who were initimidating voters at several polling places.

Thats just year one.

*He sued multiple states currently under oversight from the CRA, to stop voter ID, even though the exact lanugage had been approved by SCOTUS previously.

And that warrants calling for his imprisonment and/or death?

I'm surprised you didn't start by calling me a racist.

I'm not talking about you specifically, I'm talking about people who are calling for it. I don't think you are racist (I don't really know you), I'm talking about the people with comments like "I hope he is killed." "read my account of the Sandy Hook Hoax, created by Holder and others, either above, or on my profile. Wise Up, Holder hated the Constitution." "I did and there is no conspracy to take over liberalland. People are just sick of the evil that has permeated America since Obama's regime and his KGB authoritarian rule. Holder is just one of his strong arms. Bad one at that."

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Co'tor Shas wrote:
MWHistorian wrote:
Co'tor Shas wrote:
Why do Republicans hate holder so much? I don't really like him (a combination of F&F and not prosecuting those who caused the recession), but I don't see anything that warrants the level of bile directed at him.

Because he allowed Americans to get killed by running guns to drug dealers in Mexico in an attempt to blame American gun ownership.
How he didn't go to jail for that one is beyond me.

What is illegal about that. Wrong, and he should have lost his job, but illegal?

WHAT IS ILLEGAL ABOUT SELLING FIREARMS TO CARTEL MEMBERS?????
In an official DOJ action,. It's the US government trying (stupidly and usecsefully) to catch the cartel. Police do things all the time that would be illigal for anyone else to do.

**Bromsy**

d-usa wrote:
Remember guys, republicans are now claiming that people don't kill people but that guns kill people.

They certainly make it more fun.

**whembly**

d-usa wrote:
Remember guys, republicans are now claiming that people don't kill people but that guns kill people.

No... they're not.

Besides not telling the truth in congressional testimony, it's the fact that the architects of Fast & Furious were also using the mayhem of this program to undermine the 2nd Amendment. An AG who oversees a program to undermine the Constituion and then lie about it to the public, under oath, should be ran out of town in disgrace.

**d-usa**

whembly wrote:
d-usa wrote:
Remember guys, republicans are now claiming that people don't kill people but that guns kill people.

No... they're not.

Yes...they are. It's pretty damn funny that they are too caught up in their own arguments against Holder to even realize that they are doing it.

Edit: You can already count the number of times it has happened in this thread alone.

**Frazzled**

d-usa wrote:
Remember guys, republicans are now claiming that people don't kill people but that guns kill people.

No. We're saying illegally and intentionally selling weapons to cartels kill people. Thats not a changed position by anyone. I fully support dropping people who illegally sell firearms under the bus and always have.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

There have been plenty of executive branch figures nearly held in contempt previously.

How many heads of the DOJ?

Its kind of bad when the head of the Justice Department is held in contempt for lying under oath.

**whembly**

Maybe some clarity as to why?
http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2014/09/25/judge-denies-doj-request-to-delay-release-of-fast-and-furious-document-list-n1896621

U.S. District Court Judge John D. Bates has denied a request from the Department of Justice to delay the release of a list of Operation Fast and Furious documents being protected under President Obama's assertion of executive privilege.

The list, better known as a Vaughn index, was requested through a June 2012 FOIA filing by government watchdog Judicial Watch. When DOJ didn't respond to the FOIA request in the time required by law, Judicial Watch sued in September 2012, seeking all documents DOJ and the White House are withholding from Congress under executive privilege claims. President Obama made the assertion on June 20, 2012 just moments before Attorney General Eric Holder was held in contempt. In July 2014, after two years of battling for information, Judge Bates ordered the Department of Justice to release the Vaughn Index by October 1. DOJ responded by asking for a month long delay in releasing the list with a deadline of November 3, just one day before the 2014-midterm elections. That request has been denied. A short delay was granted and DOJ must produce the Vaughn index by October 22.

"The government’s arguments for even more time are unconvincing," Bates said in his ruling. "[S]eventy-five days—plus another twenty-one, based in part on Judiciary Watch’s consent—is enough time for the government to prepare the index that this Court has ordered, given that this matter has been pending for over two years. The Court will therefore extend the Department’s Vaughn index submission deadline to October 22, 2014—and no further."

"The government argues that it must devote significant numbers of attorneys to this matter if it hopes to comply with the current Vaughn index deadline ... But the Department has known about its Vaughn index obligations since July 18, 2014 ... At best, it means the Department has been slow to react to this Court’s previous Order. At worst, it means the Department has ignored that Order until now," he added.
The House Oversight Committee is also suing for the release of the Vaughn index and earlier this month U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered DOJ to produce requested information to lawmakers by November 1.

In the Vaughn index, DOJ must explain why documents have been withheld from Congress and the American people under President Obama's assertion of executive privilege. The requirements for DOJ in handling the information included in the Vaughn index are as follows:

1) identify each document withheld; (2) state the statutory exemption claimed; and (3) explain how disclosure would damage the interests protected by the claimed exemption.

“The Obama administration failed to game the courts and now will have to account for its Fast and Furious lies. Two federal courts have now rejected Eric Holder’s election-related ploy to keep this information from the American people,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a statement in reaction to the ruling. “This is a battle that put Eric Holder in contempt of Congress, saw Nixonian assertions of executive privilege by Barack Obama, and a hapless Congress in the face of all this lawlessness. This latest court ruling shows again that Judicial Watch’s independent investigations and lawsuits are more effective than Congress and the rest of media. We are pleased we may get some accountability for Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and hundreds of others who lost their lives as a result of Obama’s Fast and Furious program.”

EDIT: To be honest... my theory on his resignation - there is really no upside to staying on with a lame duck president who has no political capital and a Congress that will likely be full republican. Better to go private sector and make some money. As simple as that. Obama probably didn't try to talk him into staying because there is no reason to have a lighting rod for his administration anymore. Find someone else who take the flak but without the past 6 years of baggage...

Much ado about nutting

**d-usa**

Frazzled wrote:
d-usa wrote:
Remember guys, republicans are now claiming that people don't kill people but that guns kill people.

No. We're saying illegally and intentionally selling weapons to cartels kill people.

Saying that Holder is responsible for the death or that selling the guns is responsible for the death means that you are saying that the gun is responsible for the death and that the death would never have happened if that particular gun wouldn't have been sold.

The whole argument makes a mockery of the bs "guns don't kill people, people kill people" argument that gets repeated over and over again by the same crowd.

It's really sad and pathetic to have the pro-gun crowd lay the blame for a death on a particular weapon, since that is what they are always bitching about when liberals do it.

Holder fethed up big time with F&F, the operation was a cluster-feth and whoever sanctioned it and contributed to it was a dumbass. That doesn't mean that they are responsible for the death unless you guys want to backtrack on decades of argument of "if he didn't have a gun he would have found another way to kill the guy if he wanted to".

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Edited to add revised post:

Thats not a changed position by anyone. I fully support dropping people who illegally sell firearms under the bus and always have.

And I don't see nothing wrong with dropping people who illegally sell firearms under the bus. I'm not saying it was a right thing to do, I'm saying that making that responsible for the death is counter to the "guns don't kill people" argument by assigning the death to that particular weapon.

**Frazzled**

How about mere illegal arm sales then? PLus the fact one of the motivatiosn was clearly to subvert the 2nd Amendment by arguing firearms were being sold from the US to Mexico, and we needed laws. Once F and F came out, that all mysteriously died away.

wiretapping THE ENTIRE Washington Post is also problematic. . .

**whembly**

There's some speculation that Holder is resigning and will thus be ready if a SCOTUS vacancy should pop up.

*shudder*

Although... the partisan shenanigan during a hypothetical Senate confirmation would be epic.

**Frazzled**

That would be filibustered in 18.7 seconds. if the Republicans win the Senate and his name came up it would be a dream given form for them. CSPAN would have ratings better than the Super Bowl.

**whembly**

Frazzled wrote:
That would be filibustered in 18.7 seconds. if the Republicans win the Senate and his name came up it would be a dream given form for them. CSPAN would have ratings better than the Super Bowl.

Fraz... there's still time before the next session.

Reid still hasn't used the Nuke option on SCOTUS confirmation.

*not that I think this is why Holder is resigning.

It's possible that he's tired and wants to go back to Private industry.

**MWHistorian**

Yes, selling guns to known cartels is illegal, but under law enforcement operations it can be done.
Lying about it under oath is the illegal part.

I understand you might share his politics, but the guy was attempting to undermine the constitution. If he was trying to do so with the 1st amendment, would you call him on it? (genuine question.)

**d-usa**

whembly wrote:
Frazzled wrote:
That would be filibustered in 18.7 seconds. if the Republicans win the Senate and his name came up it would be a dream given form for them. CSPAN would have ratings better than the Super Bowl.

Fraz... there's still time before the next session.

Reid still hasn't used the Nuke option on SCOTUS confirmation.

*not that I think this is why Holder is resigning.

It's possible that he's tired and wants to go back to Private industry.

He would probably be the first SCOTUS candidate to plead the 5th during his confirmation hearing!

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Frazzled wrote:
How about mere illegal arm sales then? PLus the fact one of the motivatiosn was clearly to subvert the 2nd Amendment by arguing firearms were being sold from the US to Mexico, and we needed laws. Once F and F came out, that all mysteriously died away.

wiretapping THE ENTIRE Washington Post is also problematic. . .

He did plenty of stupid things, not going to argue against that.

**CptJake**

My speculation is Holder's resignation has to do with DoJ involvement in the IRS scandal/investigation.

Of course, that is just speculation.

But that is what most of the posts in the topic have been.