Outgoing Atty. Gen. Eric Holder has ‘no intention’ of slowing down

Reporting from Washington — On the day after announcing he will step down as one of the longest-serving attorney generals in history, Eric Holder achieved one of his personal career goals: visiting all U.S. Attorney offices under his leadership.

He flew to Scranton, Pa., Friday morning to bag No. 93. Scranton was where he won his first case as a Justice department trial lawyer in the late 1970s.

Earlier he made an appearance before a small but friendly crowd at the annual convention of the Congressional Black Caucus in Washington.

“I woke up today and I was still attorney general of the U.S,” Holder quipped, “though my time as attorney general will soon end.”

He asserted that he still had plenty of work to do before he leaves office, which won’t happen until a successor is confirmed by the Senate, at the end of the year at the earliest.

“I want you to know that my commitment to this work will never waver. And in the meantime, there remains a great deal to be done. I have no intention of letting up or slowing down.”

In the coming weeks Holder is expected to issue new rules on racial profiling by federal law enforcement and complete a review of death penalty procedures ordered by President Obama, and possibly bring major indictments of Wall Street figures. He will continue to supervise the federal investigation into the recent shooting of an unarmed man by police in Ferguson, Mo.

Justice Department officials say Holder has no immediate plans once he steps down, though many expect him to eventually return to his former law firm in Washington, Covington & Burling. He recently purchased a $1.5 million condo convenient to both the Justice Department and the law firm.

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