Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Farewell, Mr. Holder
The nation can wave goodbye to Attorney General Holder with relief, as to a bad houseguest who almost burned down the house during his unwelcome stay. His political missteps were legion, and his choices on law enforcement policy revealed a stunning combination of ideology and incompetence. He called for the trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and other al Qaeda leaders in downtown New York City, for example, which showed a failure to understand our war on terrorism. He accused Americans of being a nation of cowards on race while dropping prosecutions of voter intimidation in Philadelphia. He made a terrible error of judgment on sending guns that ended up in Mexico and then made the mistake of stonewalling Congress’s effort to investigate — leading to the unprecedented citation for contempt of a sitting Attorney General.
But worst of all was not Holder’s political or prosecution choices, but his refusal to obey the Constitution. The AG is the nation’s law enforcement officer, second only to the President. His most important and unique job is to interpret and enforce the Constitution for the executive branch. On Holder’s watch, the Obama administration has refused to carry out the laws, as required by the Constitution’s Take Care Clause, in areas ranging from Obamacare to immigration to welfare. The only exception to the President’s duty to carry out the Acts of Congress is if the laws themselves are unconstitutional and hence violate the higher law. But in all of these cases, the Obama administration knew that these laws raised no constitutional problems — it merely disagreed with the policies, even with laws that it supported during enactment. Obama and Holder created for themselves a second, absolute veto on Acts of Congress.
Holder and his supporters, who know these decisions violate the Constitution but kept silent because of their partisan support for Obama, will rue their abuse of presidential power. Future presidents will be able to change tax rates or refuse to prosecute political supporters under these theories. Future conservative presidents may use the same claim to start dismantling the overgrown welfare state without the assent of Congress. We happily see Holder go, but he will have more regret not just looking back at the controversies that wracked the Department of Justice under his care, but when he ponders the future when conservative AGs turn his precedents against the bloated welfare state that he loves.
Farewell? How about good riddance!
Every cable news network should read John’s analysis to their viewers on Eric Holder’s last day in office.
The only problem is that conservative Republicans have fealty to the “rule of law” which was ignored by Obama and Holder. Thus, they will not use the same tactics as those who operate under the Progressive ideology.
I missed the news until after work– 6, here & today– I am just so grateful that he is gone! Could we really do worse?
I’m just looking at the featured image for this post.
Mr Holder appears to be wearing wedding rings on both his right and left hands.
What’s that about, anyway?
NPR today actually reported that it was the Bush administration that sent guns to Mexico under Fast and Furious. I’m confused.
What do we do when prosecutors engage in an obstruction of justice? Is there no remedy?
Holder had become a spent force. For all of the destruction he accomplished over his tenure, he finally reached his limit. He sacrificed everything, including whatever integrity he might have at one point possessed in order to advance the various Jarrett/Obama progressive causes. With the Congressional posse closing in and his misdeeds soon to become public information he can now serve as a lighting rod, thereby shielding the numerous miscreants he has empowered at Justice.
The house is still on fire, we have no idea how far it will spread or how much damage will be done.
My first thought as well, rather apropos of nothing yet it seems rather odd. I am not familiar with any culture where that is the custom.
Say, it just occurred to me: Hillary is available now…
Let’s not forget his unilateral decision that any law upholding traditional marriage was unconstitutional, and his meddling with state AGs on this issue, as well as the Federal government’s decision not to enforce its drug laws, allowing various states to pretend that marijuana was now “legal.”
He’s done considerable damage to the rule of law for one man.
The second one was worn by Marc Rich until his death. (joke)
Darrell Issa had a few choice words:
“Eric Holder is the most divisive U.S. Attorney General in modern history and, in a vote supported by 17 Democratic House Members, has the dubious historic distinction of being the first Attorney General held in criminal contempt by the U.S. House of Representatives.
Time and again, Eric Holder administered justice as the political activist he describes himself as instead of an unbiased law enforcement official. By needlessly injecting politics into law enforcement, Attorney General Holder’s legacy has eroded more confidence in our legal system than any Attorney General before him. Through strong arming reporters, practically ignoring high level wrongdoing, blocking his own agency Inspector General’s access to information, and overseeing a Department that attempted to stonewall Congressional oversight with denials of what is now established fact, Attorney General Holder abused his office and failed to uphold the values of our Constitution.
While President Obama and the Senate should work expeditiously to find a replacement, time and care must be taken to ensure that our next Attorney General recognizes and does not repeat Mr. Holder’s mistakes.”
Here are two explanations for his resignation that I’ll throw in the ring as possibilities:
a) Holder feels Obama isn’t holding up his end of the deal on “social justice” issues, and he may have voiced his opinion once too often behind closed doors, or
b) As laughable as it seems, Holder may have 2016 aspirations, and wants to get his house in order.
The idea that he’s out due to the danger of Dems losing the Senate makes no sense, nor does the old “wants to spend more time with his family” excuse. It would be nice if someone in the press was asking why. Things like this are usually announced on Friday afternoons.
Please Mr. Holder, do let the door hit you on the way out.
Right one could be a class ring.
Unless there is a drastic change in the administrative and oversight direction of this country, by 2016 many millions of Obama and Holder’s “Dreamers” will be on the voting rolls, and a conservative AG is something they will never have the displeasure of having to deal with.
“Left is right, right is wrong.”
Oh, wait, that’s earrings. Never mind.
If MSNBC does, they’ll give him a TV show.
Likely so, the odd angle gives it a different cast.
Is there any doubt that Holder has had a signed Presidential pardon in his safe since his first year in office?
You might say Eric has fundamentally transformed the office of the AG.
Like most recent “transformations”, it has not been for the better. Reminds me of a recent protest in NYC, where a lot of noise was made, and a ton of garbage was left behind for adults to clean up.
Don’t let the door…
SOMEONE BACK UP HIS HARD DRIVE IMMEDIATELY!!!
Too late, it apparently crashed just minutes before his resignation……..
How about:
c) Getting out of Dodge before the next document dump from the DOJ shreds his credibility even among Democrats and giving Harry Reid time to push through Obama’s new AG before the mid-terms.
True but only if such future occupants of the WH are as willing and eager as the current occupant to disregard her/his Oath of Office to preserve and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. And–I hope and pray–that is a very big “IF.” Unfortunately, the “elasticity” of the Constitution was well tested by GW–Yoo’s boss–using opinions written by Yoo. And those powers have not yet “snapped back” to their designed dimensions.