Eric Holder, President Obama's pick for Attorney General has some serious questions to answer during his upcoming confrimation Hearings.
- His legal reasoning illustrates a poor conception of human rights.
From the Earth Rights web site: http://www.earthrights.org/
In defending Chiquita, Mr. Holder has written briefs questioning basic tenets of international human rights and antiterrorism law. In his motion to dismiss one of the lawsuits against Chiquita, Mr. Holder wrote that "aiding and abetting [violations of human rights law] by a private corporation does not constitute an established violation of international law." This position runs counter to nearly every court ruling on the subject, and would allow a corporation to escape liability for knowingly assisting others in committing acts such as slavery, genocide, and crimes against humanity.
2)His life priorities tilt towards corporate interests rather than to protecting human rights. No one is saying that a lawyer is guilty of the crimes his clients commit but "Where a man's treasure is there will his heart be also". Mr. Holder should be free to be a corporate attorney for anyone he wishes to represent but he won't necessarily be a good pick for Attorney Geneeral of the U.S., a position that needs someone with a deep commitment to human rights. Shouldn't the new administration be consulting groups like Amnesty International and Human Right's Watch in their search for a new Attorney General?
From the Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
Holder has been in private practice since 2001 and some of his cases remain before the Justice Department. He is handling civil case negotiations for the Chiquita International Brands, which claims it was forced to agree to a plea deal and $25 million fine to avoid indictment over security payments the company made to a right-wing Colombian paramilitary group that the U.S. government designated as a terrorist group.
A group suing the company said Wednesday it has raised concerns with the Senate Judiciary Committee about Holder's defense of Chiquita in lawsuits seeking payment for the families of people who were killed by the terrorists. The group Earth Rights International wants senators to question Holder's human-rights credentials because he has argued that there is no evidence linking killings in Colombia to Chiquita.
- Holder's association with the firm Covington & Burling may represent a conflict of interest:From the website Upside Down World:
http://upsidedownworld.org/...
Human Rights Watch (HRW) had specific recommendations for the U.S. Department of Justice. Specifically, HRW recommended that, in order to assist with the process of ending the ties between the Colombian government and paramilitary death squads, the U.S. Department of Justice should, among other things, "[c]reate meaningful legal incentives for paramilitary leaders [a number of whom have already been extradited to the U.S.] to fully disclose information about atrocities and name all Colombian or foreign officials, business or individuals who may have facilitated their criminal activities," and "[c]ollaborate actively with the efforts of Colombian justice officials who are investigating paramilitary networks in Colombia by sharing relevant information possible and granting them access to paramilitary leaders in U.S. custody."
Do not expect these recommendations to be carried forward if Eric Holder decides to forgo his lucrative corporate law practice at Covington & Burling and accept the U.S. Attorney General position for which many believe he is the top contendor. Eric Holder would have a troubling conflict of interest in carrying out this work in light of his current work as defense lawyer for Chiquita Brands international in a case in which Colombian plaintiffs seek damages for the murders carried out by the AUC paramilitaries - a designated terrorist organization. Chiquita has already admitted in a criminal case that it paid the AUC around $1.7 million in a 7-year period and that it further provided the AUC with a cache of machine guns as well.
- Holder has a history in caving in to the demands of the powerful. During Bill Clinton's last he approved the pardon of fugitive Marc Rich.
From:AARP Bulletin Today: http://bulletin.aarp.org/...
On the last day of Clinton's term, Holder told the White House he was "neutral, leaning toward favorable" for a presidential pardon for Marc Rich, a prominent Democratic Party donor and wealthy commodities dealer who had spent years running from tax charges.
It turned out to be a bad call. The pardon provoked howls of protests and a congressional investigation over whether it was politically motivated. Holder later publicly apologized for what he called a snap decision and said he would have advised against it had he paid more attention to the case.
Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will vote on Holder's nomination, said the pardon "would be a factor to consider."
All of these issues point to an Holder's appointment being a major embarrassment to the new administration.
From Democracy Now: http://www.democracynow.org/...
Since leaving public office, Holder has worked as a partner at the D.C. law firm of Covington & Burling. His clients have included the fruit giant Chiquita. Last week on Democracy Now!, journalist Mario Murillo criticized Holder’s ties to Chiquita.
Mario Murillo: "There’s been talk about a close ally and friend of Obama as a potential Attorney General for the United States, Eric Holder, who is currently defending Chiquita Brands International in its defense against dozens of plaintiffs here in Colombia, working families who were targeted by paramilitaries who were funded to the tune of $1.7 million over the last several years. It’s a major scandal. And if this guy becomes the Attorney General under an Obama administration, then it’s going to be really hard to find justice in this case coming from the United States."