Top 7 Worst Actions of Eric Holder

[Jen]

It will take a long time for us to dig out from the damage Holder has done to the USA.
Holder is the first Attorney General in history to be held in Contempt by the House of Representatives.
Here are the top 7 worst actions:

1. Operation Fast and Furious. This gun-running scandal led directly to the death of an American border agent and many Mexican citizens. Holder was held in contempt because of his refusal to turn over information and documentation about this operation gone wrong that he basically claimed he knew nothing about.

2. Holder has waged a war on election integrity. He “racialized and radicalized the [Civil Rights] Division to the point of corruption” according to one current Justice employee, embedding “politically leftist extremists in the career ranks who have an agenda that does not comport with equal protection or the rule of law; who believe that the ends justify the means; and who behave unprofessionally and unethically.”

3. IRS. Failure to conduct a real, criminal investigation of the IRS targeting of conservative organizations and to enforce the contempt citation issued by the House of Representative against Lois Lerner.

4. Reinstituted the Clinton-era model for handling terrorists. That is the precise model that endangers national security and led to 9/11.


5. Failed to advise President Obama against taking actions that violate the Constitution.

6. Engaging in collusive “sue and settle” lawsuits with advocacy organizations and political allies. This was done in order to implement regulations and new requirements without public notice or participation in order to use taxpayer money to fund the budgets of liberal groups.

7. Treated Congress with contempt. Did everything he could to evade its oversight responsibilities by misleading, misinforming and ignoring members of Congress and its committee.

 

[middleview]

It will take a long time for us to dig out from the damage Holder has done to the USA.
Holder is the first Attorney General in history to be held in Contempt by the House of Representatives.
Here are the top 7 worst actions:

1. Operation Fast and Furious. This gun-running scandal led directly to the death of an American border agent and many Mexican citizens. Holder was held in contempt because of his refusal to turn over information and documentation about this operation gone wrong that he basically claimed he knew nothing about.

2. Holder has waged a war on election integrity. He “racialized and radicalized the [Civil Rights] Division to the point of corruption” according to one current Justice employee, embedding “politically leftist extremists in the career ranks who have an agenda that does not comport with equal protection or the rule of law; who believe that the ends justify the means; and who behave unprofessionally and unethically.”

3. IRS. Failure to conduct a real, criminal investigation of the IRS targeting of conservative organizations and to enforce the contempt citation issued by the House of Representative against Lois Lerner.

4. Reinstituted the Clinton-era model for handling terrorists. That is the precise model that endangers national security and led to 9/11.


5. Failed to advise President Obama against taking actions that violate the Constitution.

6. Engaging in collusive “sue and settle” lawsuits with advocacy organizations and political allies. This was done in order to implement regulations and new requirements without public notice or participation in order to use taxpayer money to fund the budgets of liberal groups.

7. Treated Congress with contempt. Did everything he could to evade its oversight responsibilities by misleading, misinforming and ignoring members of Congress and its committee.

1-Operation Fast and Furious was part of an effort launched under the same DOJ and ATF people who ran Operation Wide Receiver...Holder had nothing at all to do with it.
2- Bullshit.
3- The investigation showed that there was no effort to target conservative groups. There was an effort to target political groups. Some progressive groups were subject to the same scrutiny.
4- Really? Obama killed them. How was that similar to what either Clinton or Bush did.
5. Which actions would those be? Did Obama torture prisoners...oh, I forgot....it was the Bush administration that was not advised that that was against the law as well as multiple treaties.
6. ?
7. The republicans in congress deserved contempt.

 

[Saladin2]

Congress????...***edited*** Congress

 

[Mr. Friscus]

The Department of Justice is supposed to uphold law and leave politics out of it.

Holder politicized nearly everything.

Hell, he talked about "his people".. and not referring to Americans.

He promoted racial tension, he failed to investigate obvious calls to action..

He was an awful DOJ.

 

[Craig]

The Department of Justice is supposed to uphold law and leave politics out of it.

Holder politicized nearly everything.

Hell, he talked about "his people".. and not referring to Americans.

He promoted racial tension, he failed to investigate obvious calls to action..

He was an awful DOJ.

Awful? Did he literally cover up Justice? Did he write opinions saying torture was OK?

 

[as seen on tv]

"we come to bury caesar, not praise him"

if only holder could be exiled to some villa in tuscany, to write his memoirs, as roman nobles were when deposed from power.

instead, he'll be making mischief at the politically connected DC law firm of Covington and Burling.

 

[middleview]

The Department of Justice is supposed to uphold law and leave politics out of it.

Holder politicized nearly everything.

Hell, he talked about "his people".. and not referring to Americans.

He promoted racial tension, he failed to investigate obvious calls to action..

He was an awful DOJ.

So did Holder fire 9 federal prosecutors for political reasons? Um, no....that was one of the 5 Attorney Generals who were appointed by Bush.

 

[Barbella]

"we come to bury caesar, not praise him"

if only holder could be exiled to some villa in tuscany, to write his memoirs, as roman nobles were when deposed from power.

instead, he'll be making mischief at the politically connected DC law firm of Covington and Burling.

Or... he'll be making even more mischief as a Supreme Court Justice.... could THAT be why Liberals are pressuring Ginsburg to resign? To make room for Holder?

 

[NinaS]

1-Operation Fast and Furious was part of an effort launched under the same DOJ and ATF people who ran Operation Wide Receiver...Holder had nothing at all to do with it.
2- Bullshit.
3- The investigation showed that there was no effort to target conservative groups. There was an effort to target political groups. Some progressive groups were subject to the same scrutiny.
4- Really? Obama killed them. How was that similar to what either Clinton or Bush did.
5. Which actions would those be? Did Obama torture prisoners...oh, I forgot....it was the Bush administration that was not advised that that was against the law as well as multiple treaties.
6. ?
7. The republicans in congress deserved contempt.

Or... he'll be making even more mischief as a Supreme Court Justice.... could THAT be why Liberals are pressuring Ginsburg to resign? To make room for Holder?

Or GEE...take it a step further. He wants to resign to get ready to run for the Presidency in 2016. Wouldn't that frost your balls, Blabs? Two black presidents in your lifetime. Think of all the fodder you'd have to post about for the next 4 or 8 yrs. You and Jen would be so busy that instead of your names showing up on most of the top posts, it'd be all of them. I doubt anyone else could stomach staying around to read them, though. Your conspiracy theory is amusing. At least you didn't lie..it was really your opinion. Bully for you.

 

[Craig]

Or GEE...take it a step further. He wants to resign to get ready to run for the Presidency in 2016. Wouldn't that frost your balls, Blabs? Two black presidents in your lifetime. Think of all the fodder you'd have to post about for the next 4 or 8 yrs. You and Jen would be so busy that instead of your names showing up on most of the top posts, it'd be all of them. I doubt anyone else could stomach staying around to read them, though. Your conspiracy theory is amusing. At least you didn't lie..it was really your opinion. Bully for you.

Let's see...Holder will join a DC law firm (even though Cecil Turtle will never confirm a replacement) make a billion dollars, get placed on the Supreme Court, (even though Cecil Turtle blocks the nomination), and then use his position as Justice to run for and win the Presidency. He will continue to hold all these positions, arguing the President's opinion (his) in front of himself while on the bench.

 

[Arkady]

1. Operation Fast and Furious.
2. Holder has waged a war on election integrity.
3. IRS.
4. Reinstituted the Clinton-era model for handling terrorists.
5. Failed to advise President Obama against taking actions that violate the Constitution.
6. Engaging in collusive “sue and settle” lawsuits with advocacy organizations and political allies.
7. Treated Congress with contempt. Did

(1) Fast and Furious was a botched operation, but doesn't strike me as particularly scandalous. It was just run-of-the-mill incompetence.
(2) Holder has done more than any AG in decades to salvage election integrity. This is one of his few major bragging points.
(3) There turned out to be nothing worth getting terribly upset about with the IRS "scandal." Some local IRS people tried to handle a huge workload with insufficient manpower by using political keywords, left and right, to highlight organizations for extra scrutiny. Big deal!
(4) The Obama era has been vastly more successful at defending the nation against terrorists that either of the prior two administrations. I'm not sure Holder deserves a huge amount of praise for that, but it's certainly a weak tack to take if trying to attack him. When we have another 9/11 or OK city, then we can talk.
(5) It's hard to know what Holder advised Obama, when it comes to Constitution-violating actions. Certainly there weren't the kinds of glaring complicity between the Justice Departent and totalitarian policies we saw in the Bush years, but neither did we have Holder visibly fighting the good fight against preidential over-reach, so this is a fair ground for criticizing him.
(6) I'm unaware of any improper actions on this front.
(7) If ever a Congress deserved contempt, it's this one. That doesn't excuse it, but it would be damned hard for any decent human being to treat the current House, especially, with anything other than seething disrespect, given their actions.

Anyway, you missed by far the most glaring failure of Holder. From the start, he caved into political pressure from Obama not to pursue Bush administration lawlessness. Bush admitted to multiple felonies related to the FISA spying, and nobody was prosecuted. There were also outright war crimes, including people being unconstitutionally imprisoned without charges for years, a torture regime that had presidential blessing, and even a couple people being tortured to death, and there was NO justice for any of that. The criminality of the Bush administration, from top to bottom, was some of the worst in history, and utterly decimated our moral standing and our approval ratings around the world, and provided our enemies with invaluable propaganda to use against us. Yet Holder let all those crooks walk without so much as facing a single charge. For that, alone, he should be remembered as one of our worst AGs.

 

[Arkady]

Or... he'll be making even more mischief as a Supreme Court Justice.... could THAT be why Liberals are pressuring Ginsburg to resign? To make room for Holder?

Ginsburg has arguably been the best judge of her generation, but the pressure to resign is for obvious reasons. She's ancient, and if she holds on until 2017, and there's a Republican in the presidency then, she'd be replaced by yet another right-wing wacko. Someone young and healthy has to be put into that role by a Democrat, or the far-right-wing court will be in a position where there's a good chance it'll move even farther right.

 

[Klunker]

Why did Holder resign? There is no way Holder could have prosecuted the Ferguson police officer, Darrin Wilson, for civil rights violations in the murder of the unarmed black teen. The DOJ has collected the evidence. The prosecution is ready to move forward. The conservatives would have screamed "race" the minute the indictment came down. Holder took the high road. He resigned and the next AG will be a white male.
The nomination of a new AG has been postponed until after the November election. The nomination will be made and confirmed before the new Senate is sworn in. If the Repubs gain the majority in the Senate, they will hold up confirming anyone the POTUS appoints. Since the filabuster rule has been set aside, the current Dem majority can confirm the next AG.
Once we have a white male AG, the indictment of Wilson and the Ferguson police force for civil rights violations moves forward. The Repubs will still scream but at least they can no longer blame everything on race.

 

[Jen]

(1) Fast and Furious was a botched operation, but doesn't strike me as particularly scandalous. It was just run-of-the-mill incompetence.
(2) Holder has done more than any AG in decades to salvage election integrity. This is one of his few major bragging points.
(3) There turned out to be nothing worth getting terribly upset about with the IRS "scandal." Some local IRS people tried to handle a huge workload with insufficient manpower by using political keywords, left and right, to highlight organizations for extra scrutiny. Big deal!
(4) The Obama era has been vastly more successful at defending the nation against terrorists that either of the prior two administrations. I'm not sure Holder deserves a huge amount of praise for that, but it's certainly a weak tack to take if trying to attack him. When we have another 9/11 or OK city, then we can talk.
(5) It's hard to know what Holder advised Obama, when it comes to Constitution-violating actions. Certainly there weren't the kinds of glaring complicity between the Justice Departent and totalitarian policies we saw in the Bush years, but neither did we have Holder visibly fighting the good fight against preidential over-reach, so this is a fair ground for criticizing him.
(6) I'm unaware of any improper actions on this front.
(7) If ever a Congress deserved contempt, it's this one. That doesn't excuse it, but it would be damned hard for any decent human being to treat the current House, especially, with anything other than seething disrespect, given their actions.

Anyway, you missed by far the most glaring failure of Holder. From the start, he caved into political pressure from Obama not to pursue Bush administration lawlessness. Bush admitted to multiple felonies related to the FISA spying, and nobody was prosecuted. There were also outright war crimes, including people being unconstitutionally imprisoned without charges for years, a torture regime that had presidential blessing, and even a couple people being tortured to death, and there was NO justice for any of that. The criminality of the Bush administration, from top to bottom, was some of the worst in history, and utterly decimated our moral standing and our approval ratings around the world, and provided our enemies with invaluable propaganda to use against us. Yet Holder let all those crooks walk without so much as facing a single charge. For that, alone, he should be remembered as one of our worst AGs.

The article from which these 7 things came, IMO, missed one of the most important mistakes that Holder did. He dismissed the indicted case with the Black Panther thugs preventing people from voting because he thought it demeaned his [Holder's] people.
That set the tone for his time in office.
Bush committed no war crimes. That is why Holder did nothing about it. Holder knew that. That you don't know it doesn't matter.

 

[MrMike]

I liked this summary from a CNN article:

"Such an approach made Holder arguably one of the most controversial attorney generals in recent memory.

"With Eric Holder's departure, the nation can begin to heal. His was the most divisive tenure of any attorney general I can recall, tearing the country apart on racial and partisan lines," said Ilya Shapiro, a senior fellow at the libertarian Cato Institute. "By not just pushing but breaking through the envelope of plausible legal argument, Attorney General Holder has done his all to expand federal (especially executive) power and contract individual liberty beyond any constitutional recognition. Eric Holder will not be missed by those who support the rule of law."

Eric Holder's legacy: Security, civil rights - CNN.com

 

[Jen]

I liked this summary from a CNN article:

"Such an approach made Holder arguably one of the most controversial attorney generals in recent memory.

"With Eric Holder's departure, the nation can begin to heal. His was the most divisive tenure of any attorney general I can recall, tearing the country apart on racial and partisan lines," said Ilya Shapiro, a senior fellow at the libertarian Cato Institute. "By not just pushing but breaking through the envelope of plausible legal argument, Attorney General Holder has done his all to expand federal (especially executive) power and contract individual liberty beyond any constitutional recognition. Eric Holder will not be missed by those who support the rule of law."

Eric Holder's legacy: Security, civil rights - CNN.com

Now that's a good one.

 

[Jen]

Why did Holder resign? There is no way Holder could have prosecuted the Ferguson police officer, Darrin Wilson, for civil rights violations in the murder of the unarmed black teen. The DOJ has collected the evidence. The prosecution is ready to move forward. The conservatives would have screamed "race" the minute the indictment came down. Holder took the high road. He resigned and the next AG will be a white male.
The nomination of a new AG has been postponed until after the November election. The nomination will be made and confirmed before the new Senate is sworn in. If the Repubs gain the majority in the Senate, they will hold up confirming anyone the POTUS appoints. Since the filabuster rule has been set aside, the current Dem majority can confirm the next AG.
Once we have a white male AG, the indictment of Wilson and the Ferguson police force for civil rights violations moves forward. The Repubs will still scream but at least they can no longer blame everything on race.

And yet it will be exactly what it is.
And you have admitted it here.
IF that is really the motive and what happens, of course.
Republicans aren't the ones playing the race card. Republicans comment on that card after the Democrats play it. Seems like you are partisan enough to look at it through your own tainted lens. That's okay..... but it's noted.

 

[NinaS]

Let's see...Holder will join a DC law firm (even though Cecil Turtle will never confirm a replacement) make a billion dollars, get placed on the Supreme Court, (even though Cecil Turtle blocks the nomination), and then use his position as Justice to run for and win the Presidency. He will continue to hold all these positions, arguing the President's opinion (his) in front of himself while on the bench.

It doesn't matter if it's true or not, as long as they post it they can always say it's their opinion. There has been no conspiracy theory big enough for them. This is just one of god knows how many.

 

[NinaS]

The article from which these 7 things came, IMO, missed one of the most important mistakes that Holder did. He dismissed the indicted case with the Black Panther thugs preventing people from voting because he thought it demeaned his [Holder's] people.
That set the tone for his time in office.
Bush committed no war crimes. That is why Holder did nothing about it. Holder knew that. That you don't know it doesn't matter.

He listed the war crimes that Bush committed. If Obama had done the same thing...you'd be going wild posting your "opinion" about it. So you think that going against the Geneva Convention and torturing prisoners is A-ok?? Do you think LYING about reasons to attack a country is ok? Oh I guess that's a crazy question...Bush wasn't LYING, he was just stating his opinion. LOL You told me that I was so terrible for saying all those years ago that you voted for Bush. Well, when we see you defending him over and over, what are we to think?? It's "My Opinion" that Bush could have done anything he wanted (as he usually did) and it's be okay with Jen.

 

[middleview]

The article from which these 7 things came, IMO, missed one of the most important mistakes that Holder did. He dismissed the indicted case with the Black Panther thugs preventing people from voting because he thought it demeaned his [Holder's] people.
That set the tone for his time in office.
Bush committed no war crimes. That is why Holder did nothing about it. Holder knew that. That you don't know it doesn't matter.

1. No, Holder did not dismiss charges against the Black Panther. The alleged offense occurred in November of 2008. Who was president again? It was his AG who decided not to pursue criminal charges.
2. There was not one single complaint of a person who was prevented from voting at that precinct in 2008. The only complaint was from a republican poll watcher who was not registered to vote there in any case. A civil suit was filed against Jerry Jackson and Samir Shabazz by the Bush administration and a default judgement against Jackson was entered (he was the one with the night stick)....

"The incident involved only two Panthers at a single majority-black precinct in Philadelphia. So far—after months of hearings, testimony and investigation no one has produced actual evidence that any voters were too scared to cast their ballots."
Abigail Thernstrom, republican appointee to the Civil Rights Division of the DOJ.

In 2006 there was a case of three members of the Minuteman Militia, one of whom was carrying a loaded sidearm, approached voters who appeared to be Hispanic and requested ID and actually did threaten them...Bush DOJ did not prosecute.