Eric Holder to be the first black Attorney General
It was announced today that President-elect Barack Obama has chosen Eric Holder to be the next Attorney General of the United States. His selection marks the first time in history that an African-American has been selected to head this vital government agency. I believe that this selection will have far-reaching implications, the likes of which we may not know for some time. The role of the Justice Department is an important, yet slightly unknown role to most people. The role of the department is: "To enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law; to ensure public safety against threats foreign and domestic; to provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior; and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans." This is a rather broad definition, but one that holds considerable amounts of weight in some key instances. When it comes to C...