HA HA HA HA HA
Via The Hill:
How to assess Eric Holder’s record and legacy as attorney general?
Let’s start with what should be an obvious proposition: Holder’s policies and approach to the job were consistent with the person who appointed him — Barack Obama. Lest Republicans forget, Obama was elected and reelected to the presidency by large margins in 2008 and 2012.
As usual in this space, I ask readers to look at the facts, not political accusations or innuendo.
First, congressional accusations against Holder on the controversial “Fast and Furious” “gun walking” program have been proven factually wrong. According to a thorough review by the independent inspector general of the Department of Justice, Holder did not know about this program until Jan. 31, 2011, after Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was tragically killed by one of the guns allowed to travel into Mexico. In fact, the same program was used under the George W. Bush administration Justice Department, from March 2006 to December 2007. And Holder ended this program once and for all — and those at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives who were responsible for the program were either disciplined or have left the agency.
Second, Holder disproved his critics regarding his decision to prosecute terrorists in U.S. courts. Under Holder, the Justice Department won a criminal conviction of Sulaiman Abu Ghaith (Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law) and British Cleric terrorist Abu Hamza al-Masri in U.S. federal courts — in Manhattan, no less. Ghaith was sentenced to life in prison. Hundreds of other terrorist prosecutions resulted in guilty verdicts, proving that Holder was right that our system of justice is up to the task of convicting terrorists.