FIFTY50 THE WASHINGTON INFORMER CELEBRATES Fifty Years of News Excellence; 50 Years of Service
President Obama’s Coffee Cup Salute See Page 27 •
C e l e b r a t i n g 4 9 Ye a r s o f S e r v i c e
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Serving More Than 50,000 African American Readers Throughout The Metropolitan Area / Vol. 49, No.51 Oct 2 - Oct 8, 2014
Holder Remains Committed to His Mission By Barrington M. Salmon WI Staff Writer@bsalmondc One day after announcing his resignation, Attorney General Eric Holder came to the friendly confines of the Congressional Black Caucus, where he reiterated the Department of Justice’s intention to continue “acting aggressively to ensure that every American can exercise his or her right to participate in the democratic process, unencumbered by unnecessary restrictions that discourage, discriminate, or disenfranchise.” Holder, 63, the nation’s 82nd and first black attorney general, leaves the Obama administration after almost six years. “I woke up this morning, and I was still the attorney general,” he joked. “Although my time at the Justice Department will draw to a close in the coming months – once my successor has been nominated and confirmed – I want you to know that my commitment to this work will never waver. And in the meantime, there remains a great deal to be done. I have no intention of letting up or slowing down. … I am proud, as ever, to stand with so many dedicated public
servants, devoted advocates and passionate leaders of our ongoing fight for equal rights and equal justice.” The audience, which gave Holder a standing ovation as he stepped to the podium, later applauded loudly and cheered upon hearing his full-blooded support of D.C. statehood. “We will continue this fight until all Americans have equal access to the ballot box – no matter who they are or where they live … until all Americans share the same opportunities for engagement in the democratic process,” said Holder, keynote speaker at a Friday CBC panel on voting rights. “And we will continue to look to groups like the CBC for leadership to advance the Voting Rights Act amendments – and continue your efforts until all Americans can make their voices heard in the halls of the federal government – including the more than 600,000 taxpayers who, like me, live in the District of Columbia and still have no voting representation in Congress. It is long past time for every citizen to be afforded his or her full responsibilities and full rights.” Mayor Vincent Gray (D)
Attorney General Eric Holder said he plans to continue working on reforming the criminal justice system and protecting voting rights until Congress approves his successor. / Photo courtesy of www.vivelohoy.com
praised Holder for making a strong statement in support of D.C voting rights. “Like all the residents of the nation’s capital, Mr. Holder is keenly aware of the injustice we suffer daily,” said Gray, 71. “I hope that members of Congress will take note that the top justice and civil rights enforcer in the nation recognizes that the time for District taxpayers to be treated as full Americans is long overdue.”
As news of Holder’s resignation spread, historians and political pundits began to contemplate his complicated legacy. He will be remembered for criticizing the incarceration of individuals serving long prison terms for nonviolent drug offenses and for his work to secure their release; for his support for changing mandatory minimum drug sentences; for seeking parity in sentencing for indi-
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viduals convicted of possessing crack cocaine and the powder form; and for his unvarnished criticism of the U.S. on issues of race, which included calling America “a nation of cowards” for its unwillingness to confront its racist past. Most backers praise Holder for protecting voting rights and seeking to stamp out police
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See HOLDER on Page 8 and on DCTV 95 & 96