In what comes as much of a shock to me as saying the sky rose in the West this morning, the current wire services and major media around the nation are on fire with news of Eric Holder's announcement regarding his intent to resign his position effective immediately upon confirmation of his successor.
I'll skip the individual politics of it to simply stick with the factual issue at hand. A major figure of US domestic policy and leadership as well as a member of the National Command Authority is stepping down during the run up to the most significant mid-term election season of most people's living memory. In fact, we are just over 6 weeks from election day. I don't think this qualifies as an October surprise, since we're a few days off and that is traditionally thought of in General elections. However, it qualifies as quite a new element to toss into a season already promising to be memorable in almost every way.
QuoteUSA Today said this morning that Holder had discussed his plans to step down with President Obama several times in recent months, and apparently made his final decision in an hour-long conversation with the president over Labor Day weekend.
He reportedly broke the news to his staff this morning, and then began making calls to longtime supporters such as Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., and Ethel Kennedy, the widow of former Attorney General Robert Kennedy.
Speculation is that Holder will likely be succeeded by U.S. Solicitor General Donald B. Verrili Jr., who represents the federal government before the Supreme Court.
Source (http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/09/25/71802.htm)
In any lesser an official, I'd look at it as pure politics and not something of major breaking news value outside that context. However, a Cabinet level official and one with such an enormous footprint of past action, agreed with or not, is no small matter. Timing borders on unbelievable, and I have a feeling this could well dominate the news cycle with no additional factors added for a bit of time to come, at least.
The ship is sinking and the rats are bailing. It's all a "House of Cards" you know.
In agreement with Kevn Brady; Texas GOP
"This is good news for the American people"
As a none American, can someone explain to me how/why/who this effects?
Can this be a direct attack towards Obama's actions during his presidency? Like saying he can't work for a dictator anymore or something?
Quote from: Senduko on September 25, 2014, 06:46:53 PM
As a none American, can someone explain to me how/why/who this effects?
Can this be a direct attack towards Obama's actions during his presidency? Like saying he can't work for a dictator anymore or something?
Oh.. Goodness... I've been reading a bit more to catch up on this story and I had not stopped to really read some previous headlines about Courts and the Fast & Furious documents being protected. They have to release an index of everything previously protected (http://www.judicialwatch.org/press-room/press-releases/federal-court-denies-doj-motion-delay-orders-release-fast-furious-documents-list-judicial-watch-october-22/) by October 22nd from a case brought by Judicial Watch.
This could get downright wild. The stories out there say the orders specify citations to what statute qualifies the exemption from release and then the reasoning. Document by Document from how it looks. That is a list I really want to see and spend some time reading. Just that level of index information could be quite informative.