Eric Holder

Eric Himpton Holder Jr., born on January 21, 1951, in New York City, is a distinguished American lawyer and politician who made history as the first African American to serve as the United States Attorney General from 2009 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, Holder's career is marked by significant contributions to law and justice in the United States.

Holder's educational journey began at Stuyvesant High School, followed by Columbia College and Columbia Law School. After earning his law degree, he dedicated twelve years to the Public Integrity Section of the U.S. Department of Justice, where he focused on prosecuting government corruption. His legal acumen led him to serve as a judge on the Superior Court of the District of Columbia before being appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia by President Bill Clinton.

During his tenure as U.S. Attorney, Holder gained national attention for prosecuting high-profile corruption cases, including that of Congressman Dan Rostenkowski in connection with the Congressional Post Office scandal. After the Clinton administration, he transitioned to private practice at Covington & Burling, where he represented multinational corporate clients in litigation.

In the political arena, Holder was a senior legal advisor to Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign and played a pivotal role in the vice-presidential selection process. As Attorney General, he faced challenges, including being held in contempt of Congress during the Operation Fast and Furious investigation, though he was later cleared of any wrongdoing. After his term ended in April 2015, he returned to Covington & Burling, continuing his work in corporate litigation and engaging in efforts to reform gerrymandering through the National Democratic Redistricting Committee.