Al Sharpton at press conference 9-25-14 – Video
Al Sharpton at press conference 9-25-14
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Al Sharpton Wants to Help Crown Eric Holders Successor
Rev. Al Sharpton said todaythat he is in immediate conversations with the White House about crowning a successor to Attorney General Eric Holder, the nations first African-American attorney general.
We are proud that he has beenthe best Attorney General on civil rights in U.S. history and disappointed becausehe leaves at a critical time when we need his continued diligence most, Mr. Sharpton, the president of the National Action Network, said in a statement. We areengaged in immediate conversations with the White House on deliberations overa successor whom we hope will continue in the general direction of AttorneyGeneral Holder.
Mr. Sharpton, who is close to President Barack Obama, heaped praised Mr. Holder, a Democrat who spoke openly about race relations in America. The Justice Department announced this afternoon Mr. Holder will voluntarily resign his post.
His accomplishments in working to protect Americans fromterrorism, fighting to protect voter rights, challenging unfair sentencing, directing U.S. attorneys on fair prosecution, and being the only Attorney Generalto visit the site of a civil rights complaint in Ferguson must be noted in American history, Mr. Sharpton continued.
Having served since the beginning of Mr. Obamas first term, Mr. Holder had made it known he would leave his post by the end of the year. The White House does not intend to name a successor today, according to published reports, and Mr. Holder will stay on until a successor is nominated and confirmed.
Mr. Sharpton has called on Mr. Holder to press charges in the cases of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, two black men who died in police custody this summer. Mr. Holder traveled to Ferguson, Missouri where Mr. Brown was shot and killed and was recently in New York, where Mr. Garner died in July, though he did not comment about Mr. Garners case during his appearance at New York University.
Mr. Sharptons statement was not without criticism: like many other liberals, he faulted Mr. Holder for not closing Guantanamo Bay.
Though we would have liked to have seen other areas more aggressively dealt with, such as closing Guantanamo Bay, his general service has been more than exemplary, Mr. Sharpton said.
Both U.S. Attorneys overseeing New York City, Preet Bharara and Loretta Lynch, have been rumored as possible successors to Mr. Holder.
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Al Sharpton: Im Helping Obama Pick Eric Holders Replacement
In a newly-released statement, Al Sharpton announced that he and his organization, the National Action Network, were engaged in immediate conversations with the White House on deliberations over a successor whom we hope will continue in the general direction of Attorney General [Eric] Holder.
To be clear, as he told BusinessInsider, hes not actually picking picking the next candidate for Attorney General. We did not say we are in the decision making, he told them in an update. We are in conversation to reach out to them to have meetings about what we want to see in a successor.
In his statement, Sharpton called the outgoing AGs tenure more than exemplary, and he was proud [but] disappointed to hear about his resignation, initially reported earlier this year.
We are proud that he has been the best Attorney General on civil rights in U.S. history and disappointed because he leaves at a critical time when we need his continued diligence most, Sharpton said, citing his work in the Ferguson shooting aftermath, upholding voter rights, and curbing an excessive use of police force. Policing of Americans is the critical challenge of today, especially Blacks and Browns in particular, he added.We will aggressively pursue the Justice Departments involvement in dealing with these matters in his remaining days and in the days ahead of his successor.
Sharpton hosts a nightly political talk show on MSNBC.
[Business Insider] [Image via screenshot/NBC]
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Garner Family, Sharpton Call on Justice Dept. to Take Over Garner Case
As word traveled Thursday that Attorney General Eric Holder was stepping down, the family of Eric Garner and the Rev. Al Sharpton were in the nation's capital calling on the Department of Justice to take over the investigation into Garner's death. Washington Bureau reporter Michael Scotto filed the following report for NY1.
The Rev. Al Sharpton got the news of Attorney General Eric Holder's resignation as he was standing next to the family of Eric Garner.
"There is no attorney general that has demonstrated a civil rights record equal to Eric Holder," Sharpton said.
Sharpton was in Washington with Garner's mother and the parents of Michael Brown Thursday, demanding that Holder intervene in the criminal investigations into the deaths of the two unarmed black men killed by police.
Garner died from a chokehold as police tried to arrest him for selling loose cigarettes on Staten Island; Brown died from police bullets in Ferguson, Missouri.
"If you have the federal government that does not depend on local police, you have a more objective and fair investigation. It protects everyone," Sharpton said.
"We're here also to ask for justice, and we need it now," said Gwen Carr, Garner's mother.
Sharpton is planning what he calls a "hands up" march in Washington this fall to symbolize, he said, that both men died while their arms were raised.
As for the investigation, Sharpton acknowledges Holder's resignation could pose some problems, especially if Republicans win control of the Senate this fall and are responsible for confirming Holder's successor. It's for that reason that Sharpton wants Holder to take action now.
"I hope if the reports are right, before he leaves, he ends it by addressing these two specific cases," Sharpton said.
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Garner Family, Sharpton Call on Justice Dept. to Take Over Garner Case
Sharpton Hopes Holder Stays Through Ferguson Investigation
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Civil rights leader and Reverend Al Sharpton was in Washington when he heard the news.
"There is no Attorney General that has demonstrated a civil rights record equal to Eric Holder's," said Sharpton.
Sharpton was in Washington with Eric Garner's mother and the parents of Michael Brown, demanding Holder intervene in the criminal investigations into the deaths of the two unarmed black men, killed by police.
Garner died from a chokehold as cops tried to arrest him for selling loose cigarettes on Staten Island; Brown died from police bullets in Ferguson, Missouri.
"If you have the federal government that does not depend on local police, you have a more objective and fair investigation that protects everyone," Sharpton said.
"We are here also to ask for justice and we need it now," said Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner.
Sharpton is planning what he calls a "hands up" march in Washington this fall; to symbolize, he said, that both men died while their arms were raised.
As for the investigation, Sharpton acknowledges Holder's resignation could pose some problems, especially if Republicans win control of the Senate this fall and are responsible for confirming Holder's successor. It's for that reason, Sharpton wants Holder to take action now.
"I hope if the reports are right, before he leaves, he ends it by addressing these two specific cases," Sharpton said.
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