Constitutional Law

Holder Reaffirms Commitment To Cherished Values

In a symbolic swearing-in ceremony today, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder again signaled his intention to lead the department in a new direction. Holder, the 82nd attorney general and a former member of the ACS Board of Directors, said during the ceremony at the Justice Department headquarters that he would strive to be guided by the nation's cherished principles, such as equality before the law. The Washington Post also reported that Holder tried to 'inspire career prosecutors demoralized by political hiring scandals during the Bush years.'

Holder, in regards to upholding constitutional values, said:

My friends, the true test of our nation's greatness is whether we uphold our most cherished principles, not when it is easy, but when it is hard. Our nation – our Department – has met this test in times past. We will do so again. You – the women and men who compose the Department of Justice – know that there is no contradiction between our ideals and our efforts to enforce the law. Our commitment to the rule of law, to equal protection, and to Due Process are not an obstacle to overcome, but the foundation upon which you – and generations of our predecessors – have built this Department's long and storied history.

 

Full post as published by ACS Blog on March 27, 2009 (boomark / email).