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Outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder said Wednesday that the need for "wholesale change" in the Ferguson, Missouri, police department was "pretty clear."

But asked about reports that changes are coming in how the Ferguson force is organized, Holder declined to comment, citing the Justice Department's pattern and practice investigation of the police department. "I think it's pretty clear that the need for wholesale change in that department is appropriate," Holder said at the Washington Ideas Forum, put on by The Aspen Institute and The Atlantic. "Exactly what the form of that change will be, I think, we'll wait until we complete our inquiry."

He also criticized leaks about the various investigations, saying that trying to shape public opinion about an ongoing investigation was inappropriate. "I've said I'm exasperated. That's a nice way of saying 'I'm mad,' because that's just not how things should be done." He added, "Whoever the sources of the leaks are needs to shut up."

Despite reports that he would be stepping down within the next few weeks, Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson told NBC News late Tuesday: "I have not been asked to resign, I have not been fired, and I will not be resigning next week. If I do resign, it will be my choice."

Jackson has been under fire from various sides ever since the Aug. 9 shooting of unarmed teenager Mike Brown but Ferguson PD Officer Darren Wilson. Jackson's handling of the initial investigation and subsequent unrest in the streets led to calls for his dismissal and caused Gov. Jay Nixon to send in state troopers. A grand jury decision on whether Wilson will be indicted in the shooting is expected to be released in the coming weeks.

First published October 29 2014, 10:33 AM

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Holder: 'Wholesale Change' Needed With Ferguson Police

Outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder didn't need a second to think when asked who should play him in a movie, during an interview at the Washington Ideas Forum Wednesday. "There's only one person: Denzel," Holder said to cheers from the audience.

Washington Post writer Jonathan Capehart fired a series of other pop culture questions at Holder during the event put on by The Aspen Institute and The Atlantic. Among the insights Holder shared:

Last movie he watched: "The Godfather" on his iPad.

Most played song on his iPod: "Since I Lost My Baby" by The Temptations.

Who he'd most like to meet: Pope Francis.

His guilty pleasure: Binge-watching "not-too-serious television," listing "Boardwalk Empire" and "Homeland" as examples.

Which current political show gets Washington mostly right: "Depending on the administration, I'd say 'House of Cards,'" Holder answered. "There was a pretty bad vice president in 'House of Cards,' but I'll leave it at that," he teased, before elaborating: "I like Joe Biden so I'm not talking about him."

First published October 29 2014, 1:09 PM

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Eric Holder Says Only Denzel Could Play Him in Movie

October 29, 2014, 4:46 PM Last updated: Wednesday, October 29, 2014, 4:46 PM

AP

Attorney General Eric Holder in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2014.

WASHINGTON Attorney General Eric Holder said Wednesday that there was an obvious need for "wholesale change" in the Ferguson, Missouri, police department.

The Justice Department is conducting a broad investigation into the practices of the police department following the Aug. 9 police shooting of an unarmed black 18-year-old, Michael Brown. That investigation focuses on alleged patterns of racial discrimination and on how officers in the predominantly white department use force and search and arrest suspects.

Local and federal authorities are also continuing to investigate the shooting of Brown by Officer Darren Wilson for potential criminal charges. A St. Louis County grand jury is expected to decide by mid-November whether to indict Wilson.

In a question-and-answer session with a newspaper columnist at the Washington Ideas Forum, Holder would not say what the reforms should be or discuss potential leadership changes at the department. But he did say, "I think it's pretty clear that the need for wholesale change in that department is appropriate."

A government official confirmed Wednesday that there are discussions among Missouri officials about having Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson step down as part of efforts to change the department. The official was not authorized to discuss those talks by name and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The police department posted on its Twitter account that Jackson had not resigned and had not been asked to resign.

During a wide-ranging interview session, Holder was also asked about his 2009 characterization of the country as a "nation of cowards" when it comes to racial matters. He said he stood by those remarks and that the country was "still reluctant to talk about issues of race" and does so only during "episodic cases."

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Holder: Ferguson, Missouri, police need 'wholesale change'

WASHINGTON, DC Shut Up thats the advice from Attorney General Eric Holder to the person leaking information about the Michael Brown investigation. Browns August shooting death set off weeks of protests in Ferguson, Missouri. Holder says the leaks are not productive. He was speaking at the Washington Ideas Forum on Wednesday.

This notion of leaking out selective information, which started as early as the release from the tape of that candy store, the convenience store, and then these leaks about what happened in the car, these are all the kinds of things I think are inappropriate. I said Im exasperated, its a nice way of saying Im mad. Whoever the sources of the leaks are, they need to shut up.

When it comes to the Ferguson police department, Holder says, in his words, wholesale change is appropriate.

The Attorney General also said people are still too reluctant to talk about issues of race.

Ive been criticized a great deal for the use of that language, but Ive never backed off the use of that language.If you look at the incidents that have happened since I gave that speech, whether it was Shirley Sherrod or other things, Holder said. I think we have this episodic interest in race, where we have conversations that I think are too superficial, and without confronting these racial issues that continue to divide us, and going beyond conversations, coming up with concrete actions, were going to continue to face these kinds of problems.

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Holder tells grand jury leaker to shut up

Before Washington Post columnist Jonathan Capehart ended his interview with Attorney General Eric Holder at the Washington Ideas Forum Wednesday, he asked one final question: Whats the one decision you made that you wish you could do over again?

Without much hesitation, Holder brought up the Justice Department subpoena of Fox News reporter James Rosen, who had his communications tracked in 2009 after he was suspected of receiving secret information from government sources on North Korea. In a subpoena to Google to obtain Rosens emails, the government labeled him as an aider and abettor and/or co-conspirator.

Holder said he could have been more careful in the language that was used in the court filing, especially regarding the word co-conspirator. While he said the department had to do that as a result of the statute, he added that there are ways in which I think that could have been done differently, done better.

The attorney general indicated that he felt the criticism he received for those actions was fair and said that it sparked a review of the way the Justice Department interacts with the media.

Rosen has not yet responded to Holders comments directly, but he did retweet several mentions of them on his Twitter account Wednesday:

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Holder Admits He Regrets Labeling Foxs Rosen a Co-Conspirator