Attorney General Eric Holder pauses during a meeting May 21, 2014, with German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere at the Justice Department in Washington.NASHVILLE - U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder's decision to leave his post once his successor is confirmed drew opposite reactions today from two Tennessee congressmen who occupy polar ends of the political spectrum.
Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., who sought unsuccessfully to impeach Holder, the first black attorney general in U.S. history, said his "departure from the Justice Department cannot come soon enough.
"Throughout his tenure as our nation's chief law enforcement officer, he has consistently shown a wanton disregard for the very laws he is charged to uphold," DesJarlais, of South Pittsburg, said in a statement.
Holder, a close ally of Democratic President Barack Obama, has had a contentious relationship with the Republican-controlled House and especially with the chamber's Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. DesJarlais is a member of the panel.
DesJarlais said Holder has "the unfortunate honor of being the first attorney general to ever be held in contempt of Congress. He has refused to comply with a congressional subpoena requiring him to turn over documents relating to the gun trafficking scandal known as Fast and Furious and perjured himself while testifying before Congress."
But Rep. Steve Cohen, a Memphis Democrat, Holder has "served our nation well."
"I enjoyed working closely with him on several issues of justice, and I commend him for his herculean efforts to strengthen and protect voting rights and civil rights, as well as for his work on many other important justice issues including reforming our nation's outdated drug laws," Cohen said.
Cohen said he spoke with Holder about "commutations for those who are serving prison sentences that are in excess of the current sentencing guidelines.
"In his remaining time at the Justice Department, I hope the Attorney General encourages President Obama to expand the use of commutations which are just based on the Fair Sentencing Act, which brought racially-biased federal sentences for certain drug offenses closer to where they should be," Cohen added.
DesJarlais' take was "what sort of message does it send when the Justice Department is being led by an individual who only escaped having criminal charges filed against him because of his position."