Obama Names Janet Reno Deputy With Mark Rich Baggage To Veep Committee

With so many legitimate questions about Obama's judgment circling around these days his choice of a Janet Reno deputy whose involvement in the pardon of Mark Rich was at the center of two congressional inquiries and a federal investigation raises even more.

Eric Holder, whose father immigrated from Barbados, had been on an enviable career track as a respected lawyer.  However, his failure to advise against the pardon of the fugitive businessman Rich brought a world of criticism down on him, some of it his own:

"My emotions change from day to day. There are times when I'm very angry about the situation. There are other times when I hear about things, read about things, that are hurtful," Holder says. "But these are choices I have made. It is not all everybody else's fault. I am somewhat responsible."

In context, Holder enjoys a better reputation now than he did during the days he was being grilled over his actions in the final days of the Clinton administration.  However, his choice to help Obama pick a VP makes two interesting points.  One, his scarred relationship with the Clinton's bodes poorly for a Hillary vote from him, and second, Obama's choice of a man with admittedly poor judgment reflects on Obama's judgment as well.

One account of Holder's struggle is reprinted in "The Caribbean Voice" from an earlier Washington Post article:

When he was appointed deputy attorney general to Janet Reno, his friends expected he would rise to the top job before Clinton left office. At a minimum, they believed, Holder needed only avoid mishap to become attorney general in the next Democratic administration -- and the first African American and Caribbean to occupy the post.

At a critical moment on the last full day of Clinton's term, however, Holder, who is Barbadian heritage, said he was "neutral, leaning towards favorable" on the Rich case.

Even supporters agree that Holder should have raised serious questions about pardoning Rich, a fabulously wealthy commodities dealer who spent 17 years dodging federal tax and oil trading charges.

The Rich episode has brought down upon Holder the kind of doubts that can haunt a person's career. He was asked at a congressional hearing whether his desire to become attorney general caused him to go easy on Rich, who was represented by well-connected former White House counsel and Al Gore adviser Jack Quinn. At the same hearing, Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-Pa.) told Holder he greatly respected him, but labeled his positions on Rich "almost incredible."

In political Washington, "neutral, leaning towards favorable" could become his epitaph.

For a man who many still greatly admire Holder's appointment by Obama will be seen by many as his own pardon of sorts.  But for those who seriously question Obama's judgment and are determined to examine all of his relationships, the choice of Holder will likely be portrayed more like Clinton's pardon of Rich, a haunting mistake in a long line of mistakes.

Comments

[ROY Perkins]

Janet Reno's Deputy With Mark Rich Baggage is less of a concern than any WACO baggage.