There are reports that Eric Holder will announce his resignation today.  This apparently is to take effect when his replacement has been confirmed.  We are about to see the confirmation challenge of the Century.  Holder has been the shield and defender for this administration from day one.  He has enabled if not managed the cover-ups of Benghazi, Fast & Furious, the IRS and more.  It is the attorney general who decides what documents to release and more importantly, it is the attorney general who decides whether or not to appoint a special prosecutor.

Even if Democrats miraculously maintain control of the Senate, there will be enormous pressure for Obama to replace Holder with a traditional attorney general who will not play partisan politics.  I remember that Watergate exploded only after Nixon’s attorney general John Mitchell resigned.  His replacement, Elliot Richardson refused to fire the special prosecutor upon Nixon’s order.  Richardson had promised congress, during the confirmation hearings that he would not interfere with the special prosecutor.  He kept that promise.

If Republicans win control of the Senate they will never confirm another Attorney General like Holder.  Even if they don’t win control of the Senate they will never confirm another Attorney General like holder.  It is guaranteed that the next Attorney General will be required to make an Elliot Richardson type of promise and that will change everything overnight.

We may never know the real reason for this decision by Holder.  It is even possible that he also was asked to do something even he wouldn’t do.  In any event it is “Hold out and Hold on” on because there is a lot of stormy weather ahead.

TDM