Holder's nomination clears Senate Judiciary Committee
Obama's choice for attorney general was approved on a 17-2 vote.
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved the nomination of Eric Holder, who, if confirmed by the Senate, would be the nation's first black attorney general.
The nomination was approved on a 17-2 vote.
Dissenting votes came from Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Tom Coburn, R-Okla. Cornyn took issue with some of Holder's actions during the Clinton administration, when Holder was deputy attorney general, particularly Holder's 2001 recommendation that Clinton pardon financier Marc Rich, a high-dollar Democratic donor, and his 1999 recommendation to shorten prison sentences for 14 Puerto Rican nationalists imprisoned on sedition and weapons charges.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and ranking member Arlen Specter, R-Pa., praised Holder, even though Specter delayed the vote for a week while he looked into some questions involving the nominee.
Specter said that he was satisfied that Holder would be a good attorney general. He said that former FBI chief Louis Freeh's backing of Holder was significant for him. A full Senate vote is expected later this week.