Media advisory: KU expert available to discuss Eric Holder's resignation

LAWRENCE — A University of Kansas researcher is available to speak about the resignation of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and the political climate President Barack Obama faces in appointing Holder's successor.

The Justice Department announced Thursday that Holder would step down once his eventual successor is confirmed. Holder, the first African-American to serve as attorney general, is also one of Obama's longest-serving cabinet members, and the department said Holder finalized his plans to resign over Labor Day weekend.

Generally acknowledged as the most prominent liberal voice of the administration, he has led a push for same-sex marriage and voting rights. His time in office has featured several partisan spats with Republican House members. This included a vote to hold him in contempt of Congress related to a botched gun program — known as Operation Fast and Furious — along the Mexican border.

Patrick Miller, an assistant professor of political science, can speak about the significance of Holder's tenure as attorney general. Miller's broad research interests include national politics and race and politics. Beyond the significance of Holder serving as the first African-American attorney general, Miller said Holder's time in office featured several significant policy developments.

"The Department of Justice under Holder has taken significant actions on hot political potatoes like voting rights, redistricting, same-sex marriage, due process and executive authority," Miller said. "Like other attorneys general of both parties in the post-World War II period, many of his actions, especially with regard to the war on terrorism, have sought to expand executive authority."

As political partisanship has become a routine part of American politics, it's expected that Republicans in the Senate will vigorously attack Obama's nominee. However, as long as Democrats hold a majority in the Senate, Obama should be able to get his nominee confirmed, Miller said.

"Recent changes to Senate filibuster rules have made it more difficult for the minority to block non-Supreme Court nominees," he said. "So even though Republicans will protest strongly, they ultimately don't have the votes to block any potential replacement right now."

To arrange an interview with Miller, contact George Diepenbrock at 785-864-8853 or gdiepenbrock@ku.edu.