After a stormy 5 ½-year tenure, Attorney General Eric Holder will formally announce Thursday that he plans to resign as the nation’s top law-enforcement officer.
Holder, who will reveal his plans in an appearance at the White House, will stay on until his successor is confirmed, the officials said on condition of anonymity.
The news was first reported by National Public Radio.
Holder, the first African-American U.S. attorney general, frequently found himself in the political cross-fire – assailed by Republicans in Congress over scandals like the Fast and Furious investigation and denounced by liberals for not taking a harder line on Wall Street after the 2007-2008 financial meltdown.
His decision to leave sets up a confirmation battle that will help define President Obama’s second term. Republicans are in good shape to retake the Senate in November, putting pressure on the White House to either find a compromise candidate or gird for a political war.
Previous events that may have been a factor in resignation:
