AG Eric Holder Lauds LGBT Triumphs In Goodbye Speech To Justice Department

Attorney General Eric Holder has left the building. But not before a press conference in which he righteously spiked the ball about the LGBT triumphs seen during his tenure. Moments ago the Department Of Justice joined in on Twitter by posting the above photo. Earlier today the DOJ posted the below recap of Holder's life and six years with the Obama administration. When the history books of this time in our movement are written, Eric Holder should have his own chapter. Maybe two.

DOJ To SCOTUS: Yes On Marriage

Eric Holder's promised brief has arrived. Chris Geidner reports at Buzzfeed:

The United States government on Friday urged the Supreme Court to strike down bans on same-sex couples marriages across the country, concluding, “There is no adequate justification for such a discriminatory and injurious exercise of state power.” Specifically, the Justice Department urges: “The marriage bans challenged in these cases impermissibly exclude lesbian and gay couples from the rights, responsibilities, and status of civil marriage. These facially discriminatory laws impose concrete harms on same-sex couples and send the inescapable message that same-sex couples and their children are second-class families, unworthy of the recognition and benefits that opposite-sex couples take for granted. The bans cannot be reconciled with the fundamental constitutional guarantee of ‘equal protection of the laws.’”

Dig into the brief and pull out your favorite parts.

DOJ To File Multiple Corruption Charges Against Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ)

Via USA Today:

The Justice Department is expected to bring criminal charges against Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., involving his relationship with wealthy donor Salomon Melgen and accusations that the senator improperly advocated for the business interests of the Florida eye doctor in return for gifts, according to a person familiar with the matter. The charges are expected within the next few weeks, said the person who is not authorized to comment publicly. Menendez has previously denied wrongdoing. Asked Friday whether he authorized corruption charges against the New Jersey senator, Attorney General Eric Holder said: "I can't comment on that." CNN first reported the development Friday afternoon. News of a federal investigation first surfaced in 2013. In 2012, Melgen gave $700,000 to Democratic senators, including Menendez. Additionally, Menendez received free flights to the Dominican Republic in 2010. Menendez has been accused of assisting Melgen in a dispute the Florida ophthalmologist was engaged in with health care officials in the U.S. regarding Medicare payments, as well as urging Dominican Republic authorities to make good on a contract with a port security company of Melgen's.

Breitbart horcrux Matthew Boyle, whose 2013 claims about Menendez hiring Dominican prostitutes were thoroughly debunked, is taking credit.

Eric Holder On The DOJ's Marriage Brief

"This week, the Justice Department will file a brief setting forth our position that state bans on same-sex marriage violate the fundamental constitutional guarantee of 'equal protection of the laws.' It is clear that the time has come to recognize that gay and lesbian people deserve robust protection from discrimination. Nothing justifies excluding same-sex couples from the institution of marriage. Denying them the right to marry serves only to demean them and their children, to degrade the dignity of their families and to deny them the full, free and equal participation in American life to which every citizen is entitled.

"I am proud to have had the opportunity not only to watch this great national pivot, but to take part in it. In 2011, I recommended to President Obama that the Department of Justice no longer defend the constitutionality of Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act, which excluded gay and lesbian couples from federal marriage benefits. In my view, DOMA was indefensible, and the Supreme Court vindicated that position in a landmark decision in 2013. I will always be proud of the role that the Justice Department played in achieving and implementing that victory, which has driven a surge of court decisions securing marriage rights in states from coast to coast." - United States Attorney General Eric Holder, writing for USA Today.

Eric Holder: Federal Government Will Back Same-Sex Marriage Plaintiffs At SCOTUS

"After the Justice Department's decision not to defend the constitutionality of Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act, the Supreme Court sent a powerful message that Americans in same-sex marriages are entitled to equal protection and equal treatment under the law. This landmark decision marked a historic step toward equality for all American families.

"The Supreme Court has announced that it will soon hear several cases raising core questions concerning the constitutionality of same-sex marriages. As these cases proceed, the Department of Justice will remain committed to ensuring that the benefits of marriage are available as broadly as possible. And we will keep striving to secure equal treatment for all members of society—regardless of sexual orientation.

"As such, we expect to file a ‘friend of the court’ brief in these cases that will urge the Supreme Court to make marriage equality a reality for all Americans. It is time for our nation to take another critical step forward to ensure the fundamental equality of all Americans—no matter who they are, where they come from, or whom they love." - Attorney General Eric Holder, via press release.

Eric Holder To Launch Justice Department Probe Into Death Of Eric Garner

Via The Hill:

Attorney General Eric Holder announced Wednesday night that the federal government is launching a civil rights investigation into the chokehold death of Eric Garner, a black man who was killed by a white police officer in July. A New York grand jury decided earlier in the day that it would not charge the officer. “Our prosecutors will conduct an independent, thorough, fair and expeditious investigation,” the outgoing attorney general said. The Justice Department had been monitoring the case since Garner was killed in July, Holder noted, but waited to initiate a probe until the local investigation concluded. Federal investigators will also review the material used by local law enforcement in the case. Holder said that he had spoken to Garner’s widow, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, and President Obama about the investigation. A statement from Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) indicated that Loretta Lynch, Obama’s nominee to replace Holder and the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, would lead the probe.

Ted Cruz: Hearing For Loretta Lynch Must Wait Until New Senate Takes Office

"President Obama’s Attorney General nominee deserves fair and full consideration of the United States Senate, which is precisely why she should not be confirmed in the lame duck session of Congress by senators who just lost their seats and are no longer accountable to the voters. The Attorney General is the President's chief law enforcement officer. As such, the nominee must demonstrate full and complete commitment to the law. Loretta Lynch deserves the opportunity to demonstrate those qualities, beginning with a statement whether or not she believes the President’s executive amnesty plans are constitutional and legal." - Sen. Ted Cruz, being predictable.

LIVE VIDEO: Obama Announces AG Pick

Obama To Nominate NYC Prosecutor Loretta Lynch To Replace Holder As AG

Via Reuters:

President Barack Obama will nominate Brooklyn federal prosecutor Loretta Lynch to replace the retiring Eric Holder as U.S. attorney general and if confirmed, she would become the first black woman to serve in the post, the White House said on Friday. The 55-year-old North Carolina native and Harvard-trained lawyer has deep experience in both civil rights and corporate fraud cases. Lynch is known for a low-key personality and stirred little controversy during two tenures as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Her nomination requires Senate confirmation. The Senate twice previously has voted to confirm her to federal prosecutor jobs, the last time in 2010. In a statement, White House spokesman Josh Earnest called Lynch "a strong, independent prosecutor" and said Obama would formally announce her nomination to be the nation's top law enforcement official at an event in the White House Roosevelt Room on Saturday.

The Human Rights Campaign applauds:

Upon news that President Obama will nominate Loretta Lynch to replace outgoing LGBT equality champion Eric Holder as Attorney General of the United States, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, praised the decision based on her record on civil rights. “Loretta Lynch will have big shoes to fill thanks to the incredible leadership of outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder and his unprecedented commitment to LGBT equality,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “Based on her strong record on civil and human rights as a U.S. Attorney, we have no doubt she will continue that leadership as Attorney General. We look forward to working with her to ensure equal justice under the law for all LGBT Americans.”

Now comes the screaming from Teabagistan.

Eric Holder: Federal Government Now Recognizes Married Gays In 32 States

Via White House press release:

In the latest development following the Supreme Court’s decision earlier this month to decline to hear any pending cases regarding same-sex marriage, Attorney General Eric Holder announced Saturday that the federal government will now recognize same-sex married couples in six new states: Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Last week, the Attorney General made a similar announcement with respect to seven other states: Colorado, Indiana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin. Saturday’s announcement adds to that list and brings the total number of states where same-sex couples are recognized by the federal government to 32, plus the District of Columbia.

The Attorney General’s announcement means couples married in these states will now qualify for a range of federal benefits, including those administered by the Social Security Administration and Department of Veterans Affairs.

“With each new state where same-sex marriages are legally recognized, our nation moves closer to achieving of full equality for all Americans,” the Attorney General said. “We are acting as quickly as possible with agencies throughout the government to ensure that same-sex married couples in these states receive the fullest array of benefits allowable under federal law.”

In addition, the Attorney General also announced that the Department of Justice has determined it can legally recognize marriages performed in Indiana and Wisconsin this past June. These marriages were performed immediately after federal district courts ruled that those states’ bans on same-sex marriage are unconstitutional, but subsequent developments created confusion about the status of those marriages. Based on the Attorney General’s announcement, however, those couples married during that period will now have their unions recognized by the federal government.

These updates always cause an uproar over on Free Republic.

Quote Of The Day - Eric Holder

"I expect that the Justice Department will file a brief and the brief will be consistent with the positions that we have taken in the past in support of same-sex marriage. I can't imagine that that would be -- that we would take any other position in -- while this president is in office, and certainly as long as I am attorney general, or anybody who is my successor. [Pete Williams: Is the country ready for that?] Yeah, I think the country is ready for that. I think all the polls certainly show that. The reactions to the continuing number of court cases that have found same-sex marriage to be constitutionally mandated -- the polls have shown that the American people, I think, are prepared to accept that. Now this has been a sea change. This is something that has happened, I think, relatively quickly. Part of it is generational. I talk to my kids, who seem, no problems with this, no issues with this at all. But I think it's more than a generational change. I think that people who know folks who are gay, who are lesbian, and who are their friends, their coworkers, they see the moral side to this. Um, it's a civil-rights issue. From my perspective, it is the civil-rights issue of our day -- gay and lesbian equality." - Attorney General Eric Holder, in an interview with NBC's Pete Williams.

REPORT: Eric Holder To Ask Supreme Court To Legalize Gay Marriage Nationwide

NBC News correspondent Pete Williams reported tonight that Attorney General Eric Holder will ask the Supreme Court to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide. Activists have gotten louder in recent weeks with calls for the Department of Justice to make this move. The Human Rights Campaign reacts via press release:

"Once again, Attorney General Eric Holder and the Obama Administration have stood up for marriage equality at a critical moment," said HRC President Chad Griffin.  "As the nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court gather on Monday to evaluate several marriage equality cases for full hearing, I hope they consider two facts—that the nation is ready for marriage equality, and that there are painful consequences to inaction. Committed and loving gay and lesbian couples can't afford to wait any longer. It's time to settle this constitutional question, once and for all." On Monday, September 29, the Supreme Court will be considering which cases pending before them will be chosen to hear on appeal.

Included amongst the cases they’ll be considering are marriage equality cases from five states – Utah, Oklahoma, Virginia, Indiana and Wisconsin. Earlier in the year three federal appeals courts upheld lower court decisions that ruled state bans on marriage equality are unconstitutional. We could know soon thereafter whether or not one or more of these cases has be granted certiorari – meaning the Court has taken up the case(s) – though the court could delay making a decision for weeks or even until next term. Recently Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg told an audience that there is “no rush” to take up a case, especially if the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals continues the current streak of circuit courts striking down state marriage bans.

John Aravosis at Americablog is suggesting caution until we see exactly what Holder said.

UPDATE: Here's the NBC report.

Sen. Ted Cruz: Hold Off On Eric Holder's Replacement Until New Senate Is Seated

"It is good news that Eric Holder has announced his resignation. Sadly, he has proven to be the most partisan attorney general in our history, repeatedly defying and refusing to enforce the law. It did not have to be this way, but Holder’s leadership has grievously undermined the Department of Justice’s long bipartisan tradition of independence and fidelity to law. To ensure that justice is served and that the Attorney General is not simply replaced with another extreme partisan who will likewise disregard the law, the Senate should wait until the new Congress is sworn in before confirming the next Attorney General. Allowing Democratic senators, many of whom will likely have just been defeated at the polls, to confirm Holder’s successor would be an abuse of power that should not be countenanced." - Sen. Ted Cruz, in a statement published on his website.

The Right's Worst Smears About Holder

Today In Teabagistan

World Net Daily, Gateway Pundit, Breitbart, and Twitchy have settled on a headline theme.

Haters Celebrate Holder Resignation

Attny Gen. Eric Holder making a fast & furious exit. We'll remember him as the lawless AG #marriage. #VVS14

— Tony Perkins (@tperkins) September 25, 2014

Holder is resigning. God bless America!

— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) September 25, 2014

Eric Holder getting out while Obama still has 51 Senate votes to replace him with somebody worse.

— Bryan Fischer (@BryanJFischer) September 25, 2014

Holder to resign. So, the GOP really is going to win the Senate in November.

— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) September 25, 2014

HRC Head Chad Griffin: Obama Should Consider LGBT Successor To Eric Holder

"Some Attorneys General wait for history, others make history happen. Attorney General Holder made history for the LGBT community. He was our Robert F. Kennedy, lightening the burden of every American who faces legal discrimination and social oppression. We owe him a profound debt of gratitude for his legacy of advocacy and service. President Obama faces a historic opportunity in light of Attorney General Holder's departure. The President has expressed a commitment to appointing a cabinet that reflects the full diversity of the American people, and there are many richly-qualified candidates available to serve as the first openly-LGBT cabinet secretary. It would be a natural extension of this administration's enduring commitment to equality to send a message of visibility and inclusion by nominating such a candidate to serve in this historic role." - Human Rights Campaign Chad Griffin, via email.

Attorney General Eric Holder To Resign

AG Eric Holder has served 6 years. Obama plans to announce Holder's resignation today, White House official says. http://t.co/Ipm9jlIH5F
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) September 25, 2014

The cheering from Teabagistan is sweeping Twitter.

Eric Holder Joins Anti-Bullying Campaign

Via press release from the Cartoon Network:

Select videos that are uploaded to Stop Bullying Speak Up will become part of new campaign spots to appear on Cartoon Network, its digital platforms and Boomerang throughout October. Participants are also encouraged to share their videos on their own social media platforms using #ISpeakUp to help spread the word. “Bullying and harassment can have devastating effects on kids of all ages,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. “That’s why, alongside our partners at the Department of Education, the Justice Department is striving to reduce abusive behavior against and among students of every grade level. We’re committed to promoting safe and inclusive learning environments for all of America’s young people. And I’m proud to join Cartoon Network in calling on every student, parent, and educator to pitch in, and do their part, to speak up against bullying.” 

Also joining in is Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

Eric Holder: DOJ Is Ready To Oppose Marriage Bans Before SCOTUS

US Attorney General Eric Holder this weekend declared that the Department of Justice is prepared to oppose same-sex marriage bans before the Supreme Court.

Last month, a federal appeals court ruled that a state ban on gay marriage, approved by Utah voters in 2004, was unconstitutional, finding that states cannot keep two people from marrying simply because they are of the same sex. Now the state of Utah is asking the Supreme Court to weigh in, as several other federal appeals courts across the nation consider similar cases that could make their way to the Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court agrees to hear any of those cases, the Justice Department will file a brief with the court that "will be in support of same-sex marriage," Holder said in a rare interview, sitting down with ABC News' Pierre Thomas. Holder said the brief would be "consistent with the actions that we have taken over the past couple of years." The Justice Department has refused to defend the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman, and its legal efforts to extend federal benefits to same-sex couples have been successful.

(Tipped by JMG reader Matthew)