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: JURIST - The Paper Chase

AG Holder pledges to restore credibility to DOJ at swearing in ceremony

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

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[JURIST] US Attorney General Eric Holder Tuesday expressed his commitment to restoring a tradition of fairness and political neutrality to the Department of Justice (DOJ). In remarks delivered after he was sworn in by Vice President Joe Biden, Holder said:there shall be no place for political favoritism, no reason to be timid in enforcing the laws that protect our rights, our environment and our principles as long as I have the opportunity to lead this great Department. This may be a break from the immediate past but it is consistent with the long history of the Department of Justice. I call on every employee of this Department - from this moment on - to return to the practices that are the foundation of this entity. It is time once again to base our actions on policies that are rooted in fairness and in a desire to ensure a more just AmericaHolder's remarks Tuesday echo pledges he made during his confirmation hearings with the Senate Judiciary Committee in January to "restore the credibility of a Department badly shaken by allegations of improper political interference" and "reinvigorate the traditional missions of the Justice Department ... fighting crime, protecting civil rights, preserving the environment and ensuring the fairness of the marketplace." On Monday, the Senate voted 75-21 to confirm Holder as attorney general. Last month, during confirmation hearings with the Senate Judiciary Committee, Holder testified that he believes waterboarding constitutes torture. Then-President-elect Barack Obama officially announced his nomination of Holder in December. Holder served as Deputy US Attorney General during the Clinton administration. Holder has been criticized for his role in the 2001 pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on February 03, 2009 (boomark / email).