Legal Times:
Sen. Arlen Specter, the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, called today for delaying the confirmation hearing of Eric Holder Jr. to be attorney general until late January at the earliest.
Speaking on the Senate floor, the Pennsylvanian said that he and other Republicans plan to question Holder in detail on many subjects related to his tenure as deputy attorney general under President Bill Clinton. Specter mentioned the pardon of fugitive commodities trader Marc Rich, the investigation into Clinton’s fundraising for the 1996 election, and Holder’s views on attorney-client privilege under the McNulty memo.
He said senators and their staff need time to prepare.
“It seems to me not realistic or fair to begin hearings before the week of January 26th,” Specter said. He added, “We’re looking at a serious matter, we have to do it right, and we need time.”
His comments came a day after Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), chairman of the Judiciary Committee, set Jan. 8 as the first day of Holder’s hearing. Leahy had said that he was working closely with Specter on the date.
Specter, who met with Holder for an hour Monday, said that John Ashcroft’s hearing to become attorney general lasted four days in 2001, even though Ashcroft was well known to senators as a former colleague. “That didn’t stop a full, detailed inquiry. It wasn’t done in a rush,” Specter said.
Committee staff has 86 boxes of archived documents related to Holder, he said, and more could be on the way from the Clinton presidential library and other sources.
1 comment:
Either Senator Specter is losting his memory or he's playing the game to protect his criminal friends. Senator Specter confirmed Eric Holder as Deputy AG in 1992-2001 as he was in Clinton's Cabinet. Now for 8 years Specter had no problem. Now he's asking about Mark Rich's pardon. He should speak to Mr. Rich's attorney who was Scooter Libby. Specter is a lawyer and know anyone can recommend a pardon but the President makes the decision. Specter thinks by not confirming Holder, Obama will have to wait. WRONG. Obama can appoint a interm AG on Jan. 20th at 12:01pm
I wrote Senator Specter and told him the old tricks don't work anymore. I first remember Specter with his Harry Potter story of the Magic Bullet that killed JFK. Now my Dad told me to watch the Warren Hearing and I just couldn't believe adults were falling for the lie but they did. Specter proved that day he was loyal to the Republican Party and really could care less about the American people. It's been down hill since then. I know Nixon will welcome him in the hot house.
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