Why defend Holder? Is this guy worth the effort?

[brentspeak]

What has he done for the American people...other than persecute defenseless medical marijuana users and let Bush war criminals and economy-destroying Wall St bankers off the hook?

Let sleazeball Issa and the GOP have their pointless little victory and force Holder to resign. It can only benefit Obama to have the Holder distraction out of his hair as he's running for reelection. Meanwhile, anyone other than Holder will be an improvement for the rest of us.

[deaniac21]

1. You are probably right.

[appal_jack]

52. Holder isn't worth it, but Obama is

I called Holder an 'asshole' in another thread, and I'll stand by that overall. Fast & Furious is a debacle & crime, Bradley Manning's imprisonment is unconscionable, the medical marijuana clinic busts are horrible. I could go on. But the fact is that Holder is also doing some good work protecting voter registries in Florida and other states, preventing the widespread disenfranchisement that seems to be Republicans' goal. As a Democrat, I of course stand for voting rights. I wish that Holder would uphold many other civil rights and liberties with equal zeal, but a Republican AG (remember Gonzales? Ashcroft?!?) would be worse.

And more importantly, caving to Issa now gives the Republicans too much raw meat just before the election.

I won't join the chorus of voices calling for Holder's resignation, even though I think he has done a lousy job of supporting (at the very least) the First, Second, Fourth, Fifth, Ninth, and Tenth Amendments of the Bill of Rights. We can and should discuss this matter in the future, but right now it's most important to keep the Mitt-bot away from the levers of power.

In return, I expect Obama to appoint a much better AG during his second term.

-app

[flamingdem]

68. Did you ever consider that there are special considerations for an AG

that you might not fully understand - especially when the Repukes are attempting a coup?

[appal_jack]

79. Did you ever consider democracy?

This site is Democratic Underground. While that may mean blind Democratic party loyalty to some, I prefer to concurrently embrace the notion that because we are Democrats, we believe in government by the 'demos,' i.e.- the people.

I have been paying close attention to politics & policy for decades now, so I feel quite competent to evaluate the performance of the present AG. But more imortantly, the AG works for us. 'Eleven-dimensional chess' & super-secret double-plus-good policies don't cut it. Had Holder upheld the full Bill of rights, as is his job, he would have the unequivocal support of myself and many Americans like me. He didn't, and so he doesn't. Maybe the 'Eleven-dimensional chess' strategists can put these facts in their pipes & smoke 'em.

As I said, I expect better from the second Obama administration. I am willing to temper my (legitimate) anger aginst Holder for a few months in order to help make that second Obama administration happen.

-app

[Aerows]

2. The same people that defend him

are the same people that defend to the death anything Obama does. We all know who they are. Personally, I think he should get the boot, but after the elections. He's a failure of epic proportions and not because of this incident.

[Egalitarian Thug]

28. Exactly. He's a POS with a reprehensible record, but we're obliged to defend him because

"he's on the team" that we simply must support.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

3. People with political cognitive dissonance are worse than hypernationalists

[ProSense]

4. Doesn't

Let sleazeball Issa and the GOP have their pointless little victory and force Holder to resign. It can only benefit Obama to have the Holder distraction out of his hair as he's running for reelection. Meanwhile, anyone other than Holder will be an improvement for the rest of us.

...seem to be what Obama has in mind: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002839253

It's also faulty logic.

Do you think Issa will drop it? That he'll give the next AG a pass? That Republicans will suddenly end their attempts to make Obama a one-term President?

Here's a hint from above link:

Separately, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) told reporters he thought Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) was grasping for a scalp because – despite declaring Obama “one of the most corrupt presidents in modern times” – he has failed to make any big waves as chairman of the House Oversight Committee.

[mercymechap]

14. I agree with you

every time we give in to Republicans they consider it another victory for them and instead of thinking that they did the country a favor by getting rid of someone that may not be as effective as we would like, they will brag that Democrats are weak, that we give in to Republicans, and therefore not worthy of running the show.

Why any Democrat would be okay that is beyond me.

[KharmaTrain]

21. That's Assumes There'll Be A New AG...

Don't expect Congress to do squat other than political posturing from here through November. The rushpublicans would love Holder to resign and a protracted battle to confirm his successor. In the meantime the DOJ goes without any real leadership to follow up on things like...let's say a trivial matter such as voter supression.

I'm all for holding Holder accountable for actions of the DOJ but on our schedule not on theirs. He's said he doesn't want to serve in a second administration...so the message is pretty clear to those who want a more "Progressive" AG...start humping to get Democrats elected to the House and Senate to make such a dream possible...

[pscot]

36. Much as I dislike Holder

the President can't let Issa take him down.

[Tx4obama]

5. So, every time the GOPers have a hissy fit we should just have our guys resign - so that they win?

I don't think so.


This is a witch hunt and the GOP is just doing a fishing expedition.

Holder needs to stand firm and tell the GOP to go to hell

[swayne]

6. Aren't you tired of handing the GOP easy wins? Holder hasn't done anything to resign over....

You can't have the Attorney resigning over anything 5-6 months before an election over something that the GOP wants to poke the Democratic Party over the eye....


That's right....why hand anyone a "pointless victory?" What would BE the point?

[treestar]

73. Exactly. Doing just what the Rs want is so smart, not.

This is ridiculous. It borders on campaigning for Republicans.

[Nye Bevan]

7. Yep. Obama's re-election is somewhat more important than Holder's survival.

I just want this issue to go away.

[Chan790]

40. I don't think it does...

based only of the intractability of the stink of scandal, I think the President's re-electability might not survive the resignation of Holder.

Contrarily, I think making Issa act rashly and/or get his ass handed to him by the President ends his career. It certainly did wonders for Bob Barr when he tussled with Bill Clinton.

[LynneSin]

60. I want the media to do their job and show the world what this is - a Partisan Witch Hunt

so the GOP can stop the Department of Justice from investigating these Voter Purges & Suppression tactics.

Don't you think THAT is more important if you want to see Obama re-elected.

[1StrongBlackMan]

8. Well ...

I suppose we can't have it both ways ... either we're gonna fight for our's (our policies and our people) and avoid the appearance of looking "weak", or we're not; but if we question whether this guy is worth fighting for, we shouldn't complain about our looking weak for not fighting.

To borrow a phrase: "He may be a useless bastard; but he's our useless bastard."

[EFerrari]

19. That's pretty much what I think, too, except he's been worse than useless

in the way the DoJ has impinged on civil rights. But, even so, I don't think allowing the Republicans to just run over Holder is a smart thing to do.

[1StrongBlackMan]

25. Okay ...

But I must have missed the DoJ impinging on Civil Rights thing. IMHO, not doing what we want (when we want it) with respect to EXPANDING Civil Rights, is different from IMPINGING on said rights.

[EFerrari]

32. That's right. However using the Espionage Act, coordinating

with localities against Occupy, and on down the list, IS impinging on civil rights.

On the other hand, I agree with Nancy Pelosi that this is pay back for going into Florida. Holder and Obama must have known the GOP would never sit still for that. The fact that they went in anyway is much to their credit, imo.

[1StrongBlackMan]

74. I think we (and, particularly in this case, Nancy ...

give the gop far too much credit.

This is not pay back for going into Florida ... unless we/she are/is talking about the Trayvon Martin matter ... because this witch hunt was been going on long BEFORE Florida started acting on the purge.

No ... This is yet another attempt to hit at anything associated with President Obama (and the fact Holder is also a Black man is an added bonus).

That said ... If Issa's antics are to be associated with a specific DoJ action, I suspect it would be more closely related to the DoJ's actions here in Arizona. The DoJ has had Joe "the toughest sheriff in America" Arpaio under siege (and rightfully so) for the past 5 years and turned up the heat within the last 2 years ... just when F&F hit.

I think it is no coincidence that the harder the DoJ hits the good sheriff on its pattern and practice of racial/ethnic discrimination (in its enforcement of SB-1070), the harder Issa pushes his investigation of F&F.

This is merely the gop playing to its histronic base; as those supportive of Issa's investigation are, also, strong supporters of SB-1070.

[EFerrari]

77. Interesting. I'd forgotten about Joe.

(Or maybe, suppressed him, lol.) And you're right about the Republicans keeping this one on the fire for that long, too.

But I wouldn't underestimate the Republican's sense of entitlement to Florida or their traditional suppression of the black and brown vote there or the symbolism of our black president or his surrogate hubristically deciding to protect voters of color there from their GOP predators.

[1StrongBlackMan]

83. LOL ...

Oh, I don't underestimate the gop sense of entitlement on any or everything ... this IS their country to take back ... Right?

So I guess this all is just a hodge podge of hate. It really must hurt to be a goper.

[EFerrari]

87. The Bush mafia has been using Florida as their base for a long time.

They've laundered everything there, from money to destabilizations to their capos. In their mind, it's a suburb of Houston.

They're going to lose it soon when the demographics tilt so far against them that they can't hold on any more but, they won't let go easily.

[1StrongBlackMan]

90. Hopefully ...

They'll retrench at the Texas compound ... It'll be so much easier to isolate.

[Egalitarian Thug]

29. +1.

This has been the standard script during this President's entire administration.

I don't believe it's accidental at all.

[geek tragedy]

9. DOMA and protecting the right to vote must not matter to the OP.

Which makes sense, given that he's carrying Issa's water in this post.

[Tx4obama]

10. Off Topic: Eric Holder's wife's sister

Vivian Malone Jones

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivian_Malone_Jones


p.s. Holder mentioned her during his confirmation hearing. I thought I'd post this here for the folks that didn't know

[RZM]

11. Radio host Rob Reading has said he supports Holder because he 'goes after the racists.'

For the life of me, I don't understand what he's talking about. What racists has Holder gone after? It sounds like bullshit to me.

For the record, Reading is a serious d-bag, who likes to remind people that he 'supports violence.' I'm not hating on the guy just because of that, but what is the evidence that Holder has emphasized racial prosecutions? If there is some, I'll stand corrected. But as far as I know, he hasn't done much on that front. The only racial case I know of that is associated with Holder was the New Black Panthers thing in Philly. And that was dropped. So I really don't know what the hell Reading is talking about (and yes, he is related to Otis Reading).

[Gman]

16. There's a sheriff in Arizona you may want to read up on, for one.

[RZM]

18. Ok. Except Reading is quite hostile to Obama's recent stop-deportation order

It sounds to me that you haven't listened to this guy. He's carried on XM 128 - The Power, which is the African-American talk station on XM. Reading is not a fan of Obama at all. He feels that his support of gay marriage and his moves in favor of the DREAM Act are betrayals of the African-American community in favor of other minority groups. So I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Reading is not particularly concerned with what Holder does vis-a-vis Joe Arpaio. Having listened to him and knowing something about his worldview, he's not going to put his reputation out there over immigration.

So try again. Why did he say this? Maybe I should call into the show on Monday and ask.

[Gman]

58. Maybe I misunderstood your post but

You started out saying "For the life of me, I don't understand what he's talking about. What racists has Holder gone after? It sounds like bullshit to me.". I'm saying Arpaio for one. There are others.

[RZM]

71. You're right. He is an example

I just doubt that's what Reading was talking about. But I don't know. And it's not like it's your responsibility to clarify his remarks. I asked for an example and you gave one. If I want his examples I'll have to ask him.

[rufus dog]

12. great plan

Let's had the pukes a talking point to use during the election, for them it would be worst case that Obama wins then they can go after him for a corrupt AG.

Again, nice fucking plan!

Edit: and to keep Dems on Defense, for fucks sake!

[Egalitarian Thug]

30. What makes you think that the pukes need to be handed talking points?

They create them and they are automatically propagated throughout the media.

Instead of being so concerned that we are giving them anything, how about standing up and fighting for what we know is right?

[EFerrari]

31. A stalking point, because that's how they'll use it. n/t

[Tarheel_Dem]

37. I think you may have confused the o.p. with someone who actually gives a shit about....

"the election", especially where Obama's concerned.

[Swede]

13. Lots of DUers would be calling it a cave if he did do that.

Bus,under,you know the rest.

[Gman]

15. Give us a friggin' break

medical marijuana? Spare us, please.

[Webster Green]

53. You sound just like Obama when it comes to medicinal cannabis.

Maybe you'll get the chance to see how trivial it is after a few bouts of chemo. One never knows.

The DEA closing down dispensaries is despicable. It adversely effects many, many people. Patients are denied medicine stolen by the DEA scumbags. People in the industry are out of jobs.

Obama has the same reaction to questions about medical pot as you do. He thinks it's a fucking joke, even though he was a stoner himself. What a fucking hypocrite.

You need to do your homework on cannabis in general. It is perhaps the useful plant known to man, yet it remains taboo. What BS!

[sendero]

17. I don't care..

... what happens to Holder. He is a joke, our version of Gonzales.

I chuckle in amusement at this entire fiasco.

[Webster Green]

54. Totally.

I can't stand the guy.

[TBF]

20. That's the worst part of this -

now we have to defend him because the repugs are attacking. I'd love to see that guy go - he reminds me of Palmer (Wilson's AG) ...

[EFerrari]

26. That's an interesting comparison.

I can't stand him either.

But I don't understand people here being so willing to let the likes of Daryl Fucking Issa have his way. I just don't get it.

[TBF]

57. It's his raids on leftist groups -

Palmer did the same thing and then deported them. Holder just locks them up and throws away the key: http://www.frso.org/about/statements/2011/one-year-after-09-24-2010.htm

Issa is a pain in the ass.

[1StrongBlackMan]

78. What I don't understand is ...

how these same people willing to give Issa has way, were the same people criticizing the administration for being weak.

I think something else is at play here ... perhaps, for some here, Holder is merely a pawn to be sacrificed to push a larger (anti-President Obama/anti-Democrat) plan?

[EFerrari]

81. It wouldn't make sense to give in to Issa

and criticize Obama for giving in.

[bigtree]

22. just to get your little cheap shot at the president

. . . you'd let republicans do their dirty work. With that kind of advocacy, I'd hope those republicans' utterly corrupt maneuvering would fly in your face . . .if yours was the only one in the way.

You can keep your republican-promoting bullshit. What hypocrisy! Frickin' ignorant hypocrisy at that.

And you act as if you care about his reelection. Sticking a knife in the Democratic administration's back over an issue only republicans would likely criticize is just self-defeating. It's obvious folly. Hard to believe you can't see that.

[emilyg]

23. k/r

[treestar]

24. Baloney

No way should Issa get any kind of victory.

[sabrina 1]

50. Issa has had plenty of victories, and we were appalled but didn't get much support airc.

He was the one who introduced the illegal Bill of Attainder to defund ACORN. Did Democrats stand up to him then? No, they let a weasel like O'Keefe and Issa take down a 40 year old organization that had stood up for minorities against Republican bigotry for decades.

Issa was also responsible for the recall of a Democratic Governor in Ca and airc, Democrats went along with the lies he told regarding that Governor and still do.

He himself refused to respond to subpoenas, but suffered no consequences from Democrats that I recall.

Like a temper throwing brat, he was catered to, over and over again, AGAINST OUR WISHES, and now you tell us 'we need to stand up to him'?

I remember being told we could NOT stand up to him regarding ACORN. So he got his way, over and over again.

Thanks to all of those who told us we were wrong when we wanted to fight Republicans. Thanks for putting us in a position where we now have to defend one of the worst DOJs appointed by a Democrat, who let Republicans off the hook over and over again, including the crooked Sen. Stevens, while supporting the corrupt, political prosecution of a GOOD Democrat and victim of Karl Rove, Don Siegelman.

Yes, we know we have to support him in order to not allow Issa have yet another victory. It's just sad that the party finally decides to take a stand against Republicans for someone who himself never has.

Well, to be fair, he has finally gone after Arpaio, but that's about the only one I can think of.

[jeff47]

76. He's also going after voter suppression laws in FL and elsewhere (nt)

[Fumesucker]

27. I think they should stand behind Holder just like they did Shirley Sherrod..

Oh, wait.. Not a great example..

Err.. They should stand behind Holder just like they did Van Jones..

Umm.. Never mind..

[1StrongBlackMan]

80. So are you saying ...

Democrats should NOT fight for Holder?

[Fumesucker]

85. Let's just say my point is more that it's not a usual pattern of behavior among Democrats.

After all, the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.

[1StrongBlackMan]

89. True ...

But maybe this being during the election cycle and all ... things will be different.

[HooptieWagon]

33. But if Holder goes,

who's going to write the strongly-worded letters?

[Hugabear]

34. Do you really think the rethugs will be satisfied with Holder stepping down?

Holder might be the center of attention now, but make no mistake - the far right wants to tie this to Obama. They want to make this his Watergate, his Iran-Contra, his Lewinsky - in other words, they want to make this the issue that tarnishes his presidency. If they thought they had a chance, they'd impeach him in a heartbeat over this.

Don't give in to the rethugs

[EFerrari]

35. Bingo. n/t

[Tarheel_Dem]

38. And the campaign continues. When will "enough be enough"?

[Chan790]

39. You defend him not for who he is...

but for the autonomy of his office; if you bow to pressure then you're damaging both the credibility of his administration (and the President's re-electability) and the ability of future AGs and DoJ's to perform the duties of their position.

I detest Eric Holder but I know the right course of action is to fight.

[MrSlayer]

41. The problem is that there ISN'T a scandal.

Last edited Fri Jun 22, 2012, 03:34 PM - Edit history (1)

This whole thing is made up lunacy from the right wing. Why should we let him go and not defend him when he did nothing wrong? Why should this Presidency be besmirched by a lie?

I don't agree with letting the criminals off the hook nor do I agree with busting the weed houses but that is no reason to allow a bunch of right wing bullshit to ruin this guy and this President. Why let the assholes gain credibility from this line of crap? Your suggestion is insane.

And really, do you think he's going to be replaced by a firebreather that will frogmarch Cheney, Rummy, Chimpy and Condi off to the Hague? Fat fucking chance.

The replacement would simply pick up where Holder left off, Issa and the pigfucker Republicans get an undeserved scalp and the President is damaged. All for lies.

No thanks.

[1StrongBlackMan]

82. Thank You ...

This whole thing made up lunacy from the right wing. Why should we let him go and not defend him when he did nothing wrong?

As an AZ resident, I have follwed F&F very closely and I still don't understand those that wish to prosecute/persecute Holder for an operation that traced (and recovered), literally, tens of thousands of weapons (that are important pieces of cases against the cartels bosses) ... all because a couple got away.

That would be like shutting down a drug operation that interdicts tons of cocaine because a couple of keys got to the street ... that happens.

Yes, in this case a Border Patrol Agent happened to get killed by one of the weapons that got away; but honestly, does anyone really think that the trafficker that shot Terry would not have been there ... with a weapon ... had F&F not occurred?

While the trafficker would not have had THAT weapon, but he would have armed never-the-less.

That is just plain ridiculous.

If we want to prevent our Border Patrol Agents from being shot by drug traffickers, how about we end the War on Drugs?

[WillyT]

42. Sure You Do... Like Holder, Obama, The Democratic Party Itself...

You use these things as leverage.

Sure I'll support, vote, support you when you are under threat... and need me.

But what are you going to do for me/us???

That's the way it works in the "high-powered" world... no???

[bigtree]

43. republicans won't stop at Holder

.. it's not just the presidency that loses when republicans get their way.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

44. Why throw him under the bus? And so soon?

The Republicans and Fox News will crow endlessly about "getting" somebody major in the Obama Administration and probably embolden them to go after other Administration figures, if not President Obama himself, it will make President Obama look weak for giving up and giving in, particularly since he has now entered the fray by claiming EP on some of the documents Issa wants, there won't be anybody "acceptable" enough for the Republicans in the Senate to confirm as Holder's replacement and, frankly, if they are "acceptable", progressives will hate him/her just as much if not more than Holder, and, perhaps most importantly, while we're sitting around waiting for the Republicans in the Senate to get off their butts and do their job to confirm a replacement, nobody will be aggressively be pursuing voter disenfranchisement in Florida and elsewhere.

Does all THAT sound good to you?

If he's got to go because he's really messed up and/or done something illegal and/or unethical, then yeah, he's got to go but there is no evidence AFAIK that he did anything wrong and/or scandalous, certainly nothing worthy of his immediate removal from office via firing/resignation. So far, his only "crime" is not playing along with Issa's partisan witch hunt. Democrats almost always play along with these witch hunts and end up getting burned time and time again. Did you live through the Clinton years? Do you remember how many investigations Congressional Republicans ran and how many actually yielded any actual wrongdoing? You don't like the policies he's carrying out? Fine. But don't do the Republicans' dirty work to help advocate his removal from office when you know that we won't be getting a replacement for some time and that whomever President Obama nominates to replace him may be equally (or more) unacceptable. The grass isn't always greener on the other side.

There's not even any evidence that this is hurting President Obama, at least so far. How many people (in real life) do you know whom even know what F & F is let alone who actually is the AG of the United States? How many people whom do know care about all this at this point? If President Obama is being harmed by anything so far, it's the weak economy, which is what most people are worried about at this point. Republicans are going to do anything and everything to throw him off his focus on jobs and the economy. Unless some Dems in Congress join in on the gangbang, I don't see F & F getting blown up into anything more than a partisan witch hunt being led by Issa and other Republicans.

So, considering all this, WHY should President Obama run and dump Holder all of the sudden?

[TheKentuckian]

61. Oh, it is totally a partisan witch hunt and an extremely hypocritical one at that

It also seems "our Eric" knowingly oversaw a gun running scam in an effort to persecute the failed drug war which I'm not going to "stand with" ever. The "best" excuse seems to be Bush started it which is why I might reluctantly accept if he didn't know on his watch due to deep moles, though it is his business to know, I could see a bit of grace but to try to blow off what has gone on here is rubberstamping the activities and the wider efforts they were used for and not on your life for this citizen.

If he got caught even doing something outside the law but for some reasonably beneficial purpose then I could rally but to stand up for someone doing the despicable in pursuit of the stupid and despicable is long term detrimental and amoral.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

65. There's a "bigger picture" at the moment however

Getting rid of Holder right this second is not in our interests and I don't want him gone unless there is some kind of illegal and/or unethical behavior revealed. Otherwise, he needs to stay for at least the rest of this this term (presuming Obama wins a second one). If Romney becomes POTUS, well, you won't have Holder to kick around anymore- though I wouldn't look forward to HIS pick for AG.

[stevedeshazer]

45. Holder has nothing to do with it, other than being Black.

They are after President Obama.

[Tarheel_Dem]

46. "They are after President Obama."

Obviously, you're not familiar with the o.p. A quick search will quickly tell you that this is nothing new.

[Life Long Dem]

47. Because this isn't "our" opportunity to get rid of Holder.

And medical marijuana "users" are not what the DEA has been focused on going after.

[Webster Green]

55. Only if you believe Holder's lies about only targeting unlawful dispensaries.

That statement is complete bullshit.

[madrchsod]

48. defend holder?

this is`t about him...this is about the law and executive privilege. this issue has been settled but isaa decided to challenge executive privilege and various legal issues that are beyond his power to investigate.

this is far from a "pointless little victory" this is an assault on the office of the president and the american legal system.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

49. No, he's not.

[quinnox]

51. Hopefully Holder and other top officials and cabinet picks will be asked to leave

if Obama wins re-election, god knows they have done a shitty job. 4 years of mediocrity is enough. Wipe the slate clean, and start over, it would be a great sign for the Democratic party and a second term. I would be happy to see Joe Biden given the heave ho as well. Team Obama needs some radical changes, that much is obvious.

[progressoid]

56. Replace/fire him after the election.

Unfortunately, politics prevails this close to the election so he won't be going anywhere for a while.

[LynneSin]

59. I would probably agree with you if Issa and the GOP were going after a real cause

But this is nothing more than a partisan witch hunt because the DOJ is going after these GOP Governors and their purges and other voter suppression.

[Blue_Tires]

62. Holder isn't worth the effort or worthy of defense, BUT

denying the GOP a political victory is well worth the effort...

Besides, we owe the fuckers at least one for all the good people we needlessly had to squeeze resignations out of because of the "GOP poutrage of the week"...

[jeff47]

63. I'm glad you came out of that coma

I'm thinking you must have been in a coma during the Clinton administration.

Holder's resignation will not stop the investigations, just like the resignations during the Clinton administration did not stop the investigations. Once they win their scalp, they'll be even more emboldened.

[NCTraveler]

64. Holder should not be there in the first place.

But Obama is now in the position where he must stand up for and fight for him. It is even to the point where if Holder submitted his resignation, Obama should not accept it. It sucks that political capital will be wasted on this.

[justiceischeap]

66. So, we get rid of Holder, do the repubs allow a nominee through before the election?

Nope... so who in the DoJ goes after the voter purging? Which is why they're really going after him but hey, let the repubs have their way, because you don't like what he's done.

Do you think another AG wouldn't have done the things Holder has done? Who tells Holder what to do or what not to do? Obama told him not to defend DOMA and guess what? The DoJ is no longer defending DOMA. Who told him not to go after Bush et al? I think, if memory serves, that would have been Obama again.

"The attorney general is nominated by the President of the United States and takes office after confirmation by the United States Senate. He or she serves at the pleasure of the president and can be removed by the president at any time;..."

If you're pissed at anyone in regards to Bush, marijuana or Wall St., be pissed at the person behind the AG.

[muriel_volestrangler]

67. Because Holder is blocking their efforts to illegally throw voters off registers

As Nancy Pelosi and Charles Pierce have pointed out:

The nickel drops with a resounding thunk:

"These very same people holding in contempt are part of a nationwide scheme to suppress a vote. They are closely aligned with those who are suffocating the system, special interests, secret money, and they are poisoning the debate. They are poisoning the debate with that money. And so what does the average citizen say? They throw up their hands and they say, a pox on both your houses, and that is a victory for the special interest," Pelosi continued.

...Senator John (Box Turtle) Cornyn gave this whole game away a week ago:

"You still resist coming clean about what you knew and when you knew it with regard to Operation Fast and Furious. You won't cooperate with a legitimate Congressional investigation, and you won't hold anyone, including yourself, accountable. Your Department blocks states from implementing attempts to combat voter fraud. In short, you've violated the public trust, in my view, and by failing and refusing to perform the duties of your office," Cornyn said.

That is not a non sequitur. That's a tell.

http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/Why_Pelosi_Is_Correct_Today

Throw the Attorney General out now, and the Republican states will go full speed ahead with voter suppression, while blocking attempts to get the AG's office back in order.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

69. Because....

....they will not stop at Holder.

The Republicans will not stop at having Holder as a sacraficial lamb. They invision him as a domino to bring down the President.

Hence, the smartest thing for us is to make sure that domino doesn't fall.

Unless there was some clear wrongdoing by Holder in this FnF thing and the whole issue is more than just a bonehead program initated by the Bush Administration, then there's no sense to throw Holder to the wolves.

[jwirr]

70. To me this question has one answer: Do we want the DOJ leaderless when the issues of immigrants

and voter blocking is happening? The Congress is not approving of any of President Obama's nominations for anything.

[treestar]

72. No one else would be confirmed

And he hasn't prosecuted defenseless medical marijuana users, but medical marijuana clinics that violate regulations.

It is his decision whether to prosecute "war criminals" and there are plenty of arguments against doing that.

He has otherwise enforced the law, which he is supposed to do.

[1-Old-Man]

75. I agree. I would have liked to have seen Holder go 3 years ago, but tomorrow isn't too late.

He has been worthless, less than worthless actually because his lack of action has embolden criminality at the highest levels of Government. If he had gone yesterday it would have been 3 years too late.

[bigwillq]

84. Not many of these clowns in office are worth defending (nt)

[spanone]

86. 'pointless little victory' you think they will stop with holder? bwahahahahahaaa

[brentspeak]

88. It was Obama himself who offered up Van Jones and Shirley Sherrod

The GOP was apparently encouraged by Obama's own actions.

[hack89]

91. Only because Obama is the real target

defend Holder now and let him him go honorably after the election.