Earlier today, news broke that Attorney General Eric Holder would be stepping down from his position. The reports of exactly when he would step down were conflicted. Some said he would leave when the president chose his replacement, while others said he would not vacate the job until the Senate confirmed his successor.
Holder’s tenure was largely uncontroversial, and he was known as an even-handed arbiter of the law who would never let politics get in the way of justice being served.
Just kidding.
Holder’s tenure was a complete train wreck: one that started with a blatant cover-up of an illegal federal gun-running operation and ended with an abject refusal to do anything whatsoever about the illegal IRS targeting scandal. But don’t worry, Holder’s political appointees at DOJ did find time to overrule career attorneys in order to drop a slam-dunk voter disenfranchisement case against the New Black Panther party. And then there was that whole “let’s just go spy on some reporters” thing.
Oh, and he also spent a lot of time flying around on private jets to places like Martha’s Vineyard and Atlantic City — all on the taxpayer dime.
The question now is who will President Obama appoint to fill a vacancy conveniently created just several weeks from a big congressional election. Will he pick a skilled obstructor of justice to make sure nobody at the IRS is held accountable, or will he pick someone as a way to energize the dispirited Democratic base heading into November? So many possibilities.
Anyhow, the Twitterverse had a lot to say about Holder’s resignation announcement. Here are some of the best tweets on the topic.
First Attorney General ever to disagree with both the 1st and 2nd Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. http://t.co/YZfODjJwS6
— Gov. Bobby Jindal (@BobbyJindal) September 25, 2014
Attorney General Holder Stepping Down to Join Private Sector in Nation of Cowards pic.twitter.com/sqAmEtcjBj
— jimgeraghty (@jimgeraghty) September 25, 2014
I'm sure Holder resigning has nothing to with the fact that there's an election in 40 days.
— Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) September 25, 2014
Ed Meese: tanned, rested and ready.
— Jim Antle (@jimantle) September 25, 2014
Holder to resign
In related news, right now at the Justice Dept, hard drives are "accidently crashing"
— Matthew (@Matthops82) September 25, 2014
Obama's Press Sec steps down, IRS director resigns, Health Secretary resigns, now Attorney General Eric Holder resigns. But "phony scandals"
— C (@chelsea_elisa) September 25, 2014
Prospective nominee Nancy Grace assures press she'll continue Eric Holder's legacy, announces immediate probe of "Wanda the Hot Tub Killer."
— Popehat (@Popehat) September 25, 2014
I guess the White House wanted to confirm a new Attorney General while Democrats still control the Senate.
— Brandt (@UrbanAchievr) September 25, 2014
Eric Holder Hands In Badge, Pledges to Hunt Down AP Reporters & James Rosen as a Vigilante http://t.co/T3VSCwP5rC pic.twitter.com/86v0vPM6Lx
— jimgeraghty (@jimgeraghty) September 25, 2014
I would have preferred a perp walk, but hey, I’ll take it.
— John Ekdahl (@JohnEkdahl) September 25, 2014
And for a little something to balance out the jokes, here are two horribly depressing thoughts on Holder’s resignation:
Holder is only taking a two year break. He'll be back when Hillary wins.
— Ben (@BenK84) September 25, 2014
I'm already fully exhausted by the Eric Holder nomination to the Supreme Court.
— Michael B Dougherty (@michaelbd) September 25, 2014
