Editor’s Note: This week’s PoliceOne First Person essay is from PoliceOne Columnist Dan Marcou. In PoliceOne “First Person” essays, our Members and Columnists candidly share their own unique view of the world. This is a platform from which individual officers can share their own personal insights on issues confronting cops today, as well as opinions, observations, and advice on living life behind the thin blue line. If you want to share your own perspective with other P1 Members, simply send us an email with your story.
By Lt. Dan Marcou
Police1 Columnist
Question: Should Attorney General Eric Holder stay or go?
Here are the decisions which have inspired such a discussion.
CIA Targeted
After Eric Holder was sworn in as Attorney General February 3, 2009, he wasted no time setting his career GPS on a direct course toward the vortex of a firestorm. He disregarded recommendations of the justice department’s career prosecutors and went after CIA interrogators for their use of enhanced interrogation techniques. This investigation continued even as it was revealed that intelligence collected, during these interrogations led to the successful mission, which killed the leader of al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden.
Insiders say the investigation has succeeded in damaging the morale of CIA field agents.
Terrorist Trial in New York
In November 2009 Holder ignored recommendations of his predecessor, Michael Mukasey and announced intentions to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other 9-11 conspirators in New York City for their involvement in the September 11th atrocity. Holder planned on cloaking this war criminal in the bill of rights. In doing so Holder would subject, after the fact, evidence and statements gathered on the battlefield by soldiers and CIA operatives to the “exclusionary rule.”
Michael Mukasey said, “The plan seems to be to abandon the view that we are in a war.” He judged the probability of a trial-inspired attack on New York City to be “very high.”
To prevent such an attack, the New York Police Department has estimated security costs for the trials may be as high as one billion dollars. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) called the attempt to try the conspirators in New York a “wrongheaded” idea.
Finally, in April 2011, Holder succumbed to relentless pressure from inside and outside the government. Holder reported the trials would be held as originally planned in military tribunals at the Guantanamo Bay facility. After announcing his decision to hold the proceedings at “Gitmo” Holder said he “stood by” his decision, to try the defendants in New York City as the right thing to do and not doing so was a “missed opportunity.”
Voter Intimidation
During the presidential election in 2008, two members of the New Black Panther Party — Minister King Samir Shabazz and Jerry Jackson, were recorded in front of the doors leading into a polling station located at 1221 Fairmont in Philadelphia.
These two men — sharing a menacing demeanor — were dressed in black berets, black uniforms, jump boots, and black sunglasses. Shabazz was armed, openly brandishing a police style baton. These two militant figures are what each arguably-courageous voter had to navigate around to cast a ballot in the 2008 presidential election.
A complaint was filed in this matter in 2009. After receiving a default judgment against Shabazz, who failed to appear on charges, federal prosecutors were ordered to drop law suits against all other New Black Panthers in the matter. These orders came from “superiors” in Holder’s Justice Department.
One of the prosecutors J. Christian Adams resigned over the case and later said in an op-ed for the Washington Times:
“The New Black Panther case was the simplest and most obvious violation of federal law I saw in my Justice Department career. “ Adams thought the handling of this case was proof of a racial double standard in Holder’s department of Justice.
Here is the recording of the New Black Panther’s presence at the polling place. You be the judge as to whether or not this would be a provable case of voter intimidation.
Fast and Furious
According to ATF Special Agent John Dobson, 2,500 operational firearms were sold to “straw buyers,” who were allowed to “walk,” so that they could in turn sell them to criminals. The stated purpose was to allow law enforcement to track the weapons. Many of the weapons have ended up in the hands of the drug cartels.
Two of these 2,500 weapons were left at the scene of the killing of US Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry.
The congressional investigation into determining who authorized the failed program and what the exact purpose of the program was has been met with something that falls far short of cooperation. When called to testify before Congress in May 2011, Attorney General Holder, under oath, said he had only heard of the failed program, “in the last few weeks.”
After information to the contrary was discovered he was asked to testify in the matter again. On November 8th he testified, “In my testimony before the House Committee, I did say ‘a few weeks.’ I probably could have said ‘a couple of months.’ I don’t think what I said in terms of using ‘a few weeks’ was accurate based on what happened.”
Many Americans are absolutely convinced that the kiting of firearms to Mexican criminals was a deliberate covert assault on the second amendment.
Chief Law Enforcement Officer of the Government
Have you ever worked with a new officer that was struggling, but had great potential? You stepped in and said to the frustrated officer, “Hang in there. It gets easier with time and experience. Learn from your mistakes and move on.”
On the other hand have you ever run into a new officer, who was floundering so much, they were a danger to themselves and everyone around them? You were so concerned you took the officer aside and said, “This job is not for you.”
Although Judge Holder is relatively new in this position he is the Chief Law Enforcement Officer of the Government and as such he represents all of you in Law Enforcement.
What do you say to him? Do you tell him that he has potential and should hang in there a bit longer, or do you advise him he is endangering his legacy and Americans he is sworn to protect?
If you are a Law Enforcement professional with an opinion give a shout out to Attorney General Holder in the comment section below and tell him:
“You should stay,” or “You should go!”
