Eric Holder Named Next Attorney General

U.S. Senate Majority Whip Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) (R) and U.S. Attorney General nominee Eric Holder (L) pose for photographers during their meeting December 10, 2008 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Holder will be the first African American to hold the position if confirmed. (Getty Images)more pics »

Barack Obama has further tied himself to the Clinton Administration by naming Eric Holder to the position of Attorney General.
OBAMA'S NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM

• Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense
  
• Eric Holder, United States Attorney General
  
• Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security
  
• James L. Jones, National Security Advisor
  
• Susan Rice, United States Ambassador to the United Nations
  

Holder was formerly the Deputy Attorney General under Janet Reno during the Clinton years. He is also a former U.S. Attorney and Superior Court Judge who once considered running for mayor of Washington, D.C.

While some see Obama's choice as proof that he is resurrecting the Clinton cabinet, NBC's Chris Donovan points out that Holder has received three jobs over his career that have required U.S. Senate confirmation, and he has never received a vote against him.

However, Holder was at the center of some controversy during the last days of the Clinton administration. After Janet Reno had left, Holder was the acting Attorney General. In that time, he approved a presidential pardon of oil billionaire Marc Rich. Many critics say the pardon was purchased by Rich's wife, who donated extravagantly to Bill Clinton's presidential library.

More from NBC:
His only potential hang-up for confirmation is the controversy over the pardon of Marc Rich in the closing hours of the Clinton administration. Holder approved the pardon as acting attorney general, after Reno left, without paying much attention to it, and it turned out to be a big embarrassment to Clinton.

So far, the Hill response to Holder has been positive, officials say. What do you think? Is Holder a good choice for Attorney General? Vote here.

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