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Eric Holder

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Eric Holder
Eric Holder: Research Paper

In the field of criminal justice, there have been many contributions from leaders throughout the peak of history. Various forms of influential people have graced America in determination of creating a fairer nation. All through his career Eric H. Holder Jr. has worked, and still is working, diligently to improve the criminal justice system, especially the equality of African- Americans. Born on January 21, 1951, in The Bronx Borough of New York City, Holder is the son of Eric and Miriam Holder. Attorney General Holder grew up in East Elmhurst, Queens and attended public school up until the age of ten where in the fourth grade, was chosen to be in the gifted and talented program. He went on to attend Stuyvesant School in Manhattan, Columbia University, and later Columbia Law School in which he attained his Juris Doctor in 1976. After law school, Eric Holder joined the U.S Justice Department latest Public Integrity Section, which lasted for 12 years. It was there that he helped in the prosecution of Congressman John Jenrette for bribery. In 1993 Holder stepped down from his appointment by President Ronald Regan of being a judge for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia in order to accept President Clinton’s appointment for U.S. Attorney of District of Columbia, in which he oversaw the conclusion of the corruption case involving Dan Rostenkowski , part of the Congressional Post Office Scandal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Holder). Mr. Holder’s career didn’t stop there, he was then moved up to Deputy Attorney General in 1997 under Janet Reno. He was the first African American to hold that position. During his confirmation hearing, Holder's opposition to the death penalty was questioned, but he pledged his intention to cooperate with the current laws and Attorney General Janet Reno, saying, "I am not a proponent of the death penalty, but I will enforce the law as this Congress gives it to us"

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