On Monday, the U.S. Senate gave the nod to Eric Holder, President Barack Obama’s pick for attorney general, making Holder the first African-American put in charge of the Justice Department.


The Washington Post:

Holder, 58, will arrive at the Justice Department headquarters in Washington tomorrow [Tuesday] for a swearing in ceremony and to greet some of the department’s 110,000 employees.

“The need for new leadership at the Department of Justice is as critical today as it’s ever been,” said Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.), the Judiciary Committee chairman, on the Senate floor this afternoon. “This confirmation is going to do a great deal to restore the morale and the purpose throughout the department.”

The Senate vote occurred four days after Holder overcame concerns by a small but vocal group of GOP lawmakers over his position on national security and gun rights, as well as his recommendations in two controversial Clinton clemency decisions. After delaying consideration of the nomination for a week, the Judiciary panel ultimately voted 17 to 2 Thursday to advance Holder’s bid to serve as the country’s chief law enforcement officer.

Read more

Wait, before you go…

If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.

Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.

Support Truthdig