Eric Holder Confirmation: GOP Senator Gives Support

WASHINGTON — Republican senator Mel Martinez of Florida says he will support Attorney General-nominee Eric Holder, putting him a big step closer to confirmation.

Holder met with Martinez morning Friday while the Senate Judiciary Committee held a second day of hearings on his nomination.

Martinez said in a statement that he believes Holder understands the unique role of the nation's top law enforcement official and intends to vote to confirm him.

The support from Martinez and the already-declared backing from Sen. Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican, should give Holder the 60 votes necessary to avoid a filibuster, assuming all the current Democratic senators support him.

Comments

[kasinca]

Arlen Spector being so hung up on the Clinton years even after he was an accomplice to the John Ashcroft, Alberto Gonzalez, and Michael Mukasey fiascos. Arlen, wake the hell up and start doing the business of the country. We have a hell of a lot of unfinished justice business to change.

[Rivermont]

Explain the Rich and FALN pardons and then you can talk.

[dwillisno1]

Scooter, is that you?

[honeydiva]

Arlen must be planning to retire, if he votes against Holder.

[MrsPeel]

Every so often Arlen Specter has to come out of the woodwork so people know he's still around. "Look at me, I'm still Mr. Tough Guy prosecutor and I'll stand up to anybody!"

What a weird perspective when grandstanding makes someone such an a**hole the person can't or doesn't care to recognize it.

[gladys46]

An interesting article :

http://www.motherjones.com//news/feature/2009/01/class-is-the-new-black.html

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

Holder is a real deal for a prosecutor and has been involved with some of the most famous cases since Abscam to Rostenkowski. We need a prosecutor that is not afraid to prosecute Republicans and Democrats alike. That is the only way to restore the reputation of the DOJ.

[rockyb26]

yep

[buckygreen]

Good hes in then. Snowe, Collins, Gregg, and Voinovich will probably vote to confirm as well.

[monicaangela]

I had no doubt about it, the president always gets his pick for AJ, now the only thing that can remove him from the job is if he f's up royally like Gonzo the Clown :)

[theone718]

WRONG. Clinton had to try 3 times.

I suspect Specter will vote for him as well. Which would be pretty hilarious actually.

[Mdazes]

Separated at birth, Eric Holder and Stedman (Oprah Winfrey boyfriend).

[monicaangela]

That makes neither one of them available, I have such bad luck :)

[Mdazes]

The Republicans were trying to make Obama withdraw Holder nomination, but Holder showed up and stood his ground.

[monicaangela]

Holder is a man's man and a woman's dream ;)

[Rivermont]

That never happened.

[JRsNana]

Is there a link to that statement available? I read a lot but never heard that one. Can you tell us where you heard it?

[ChicagoDMT]

Not in a million years would I have ever expected that Orin Hatch would be the first guy on the republican side to step up to support Holden. That mystifies me. But I've often wondered if hispanic members of the G.O.P. didn't harbor resentments over the way their party uses xenophobic and racist rhetoric to rally their base.

Watching the Bush Administration turn the civil rights division of the DOJ into a frat house for bigots has to have a deep impact on non-european congressional members.

[TJCole]

Anyone who advocated a 5 year mandatory prison sentence as Eric Holder did, for any amount of possession of marijuana is not someone I can ever be enthusiastic about being our Attorney General...­!

Imagine just how draconian and authoritarian and elitist and uninformed as to our overloaded prison system you have to be to advocate that even if it was 10 years ago or in 1998-99..!

Imagine throwing old ladies fighting cancer or kids headed to college into prison for 5 years for a joint or roach or any amount a seed someone drops from their pocket on your floor anything 5 years in prison it's idiotic and insane...

I'll never really trust this guy, if he'll go along with that for his own benefit and advantage and advancement he'll go along with almost anything..­.just as Gonzales or Mukasey have...

[Petey131]

Pssst...go back to your closet and light up a joint.

[TJCole]

So much for Egalitarianism, Decency and Justice...

[kay]

I'd happily donate to any Democrat who challenges Specter.

Enough already with this blowhard. I feel as if I've been listening to his politicall­y-motivate­d pious lectures my entire adult life. What an ego.

[gladys46]

When I return home to Philly ... I'll surely let ya know who we will pit against him !

[GorBud]

Stop falling all over your selves about Eric Holder. At best he is a bureaucrat at worst a sycophant. His second rate mind and super salesman approach reminds me of a used car salesman. He will prove to be the black Alberto Gonzales with personality. Is everything and everyone BHO touches gold? This Holder was like warm butter in the hands of the chief pardon seller. Wonder if he got any of the "contributions" Bubba accepted. This government is a joke. The last one made you cringe this one will astonish you with tricks and magic. But you will still pay the bills and put up with their evasions and lies.

[Grunty1]

Lots of projection there. Sychophant?
Using Republican talking points gets you zapped.

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

Please Gonalez was a political hack who accomplished nothing during his career.

Holder is a talented prosecutor all the way back to being part of the prosecution in Abscam case. He was a district court judge by Reagan and later on prosecuted Dan Rostenkowski as prosecutor for DC.

After that we all know he served under Clinton as deputy AG.

Holder is a true heavyweight unlike Gonzales.

To you I'm sure all minorities got were they are because of tokenism obviously.

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

Please Gonalez was a political ha ck who accomplished nothing during his career.

Holder is a talented prosecutor all the way back to being part of the prose cution in Abscam case. He was a district court judge by Reagan and later on prosecuted Dan Roste nkowski as prosecutor for DC.

After that we all know he served under Clinton as deputy AG.

Holder is a true heavyweight unlike Gonzales.

To you I'm sure all minor ities got were they are because of toke nism obviously.

[GorBud]

Abscam!! Guess he missed Jack Murtha. Tip O'Niel intervened to save that caught fish. Why was it necessary to make a remark about what you think I think about minorities? Does it make you feel better and nobel in your defense of Mr. Holder, Try defending Mr. Gonzales' appointment to anything. Was it merit, friendship, good salesmanship or something else. My reference to Gonzales/Holder related to their sycophantic behavior. There are thousands and tens of thousands of talented and very able minorities in America and for you to bring up "tokenism" in your attempted insult indicates just where your head is at. Maybe I am also a Papist. Or a Nativist. Move into the 21st century with your attempted insults.

[MrsPeel]

"If truth be told I am sick to death (ha Ha) of the extreme language used in everyday conversation especially when it comes to political conversations and writings."

GorBud, December 30, 2008 20:37

__________­__________­__________­__________­__________­__________­_

I guess you weren't sick enough not to post this comment.

[GorBud]

Good catch Mrs Peel. I did not think I was too over the top. No Outrage, disgust, or ill wishes for Mr Holder. Just think too much fawning by some. At least someone reads and points out what could be construed as inconsistant postings. I'll keep an eye out for your postings --- thanks for the poke.

[lthuedk 1]

What'cha afraid of Republicans? The light? The Constitution? The People?

Your time for group-think is over. It's time for you to begin thinking for yourselves. Let in the light and give the best possible gift to your children.

Or pay a very stiff price. Even Hatch knows it is futile.

http://www.light-to-dark.com/darwins_twofer.html

[Emerald1943]

Wasn't Arlen Spector on the Warren Commission? He's been in Washington too long!!!
Term Limits!

[Opt1musPr1me]

Holder is the man. He could also be Bush and Cheney's worst nightmare. Holder will be AG no doubt.