It looks like the Rev. Al Sharpton is taking Eric Holder's resignation pretty hard. Not only did the liberal activist praise him during Thursday's edition of the Politics Nation program as the first African-American to serve as attorney general, the host of the weekday MSNBC series called him the "best" one in history when it comes to civil rights.
In addition, the liberal activist noted in a statement that he and his civil rights organization -- the National Action Network -- “are engaged in immediate conversations with the White House on deliberations over a successor whom we hope will continue in the general direction” Holder established during his six years in office.
On Thursday evening, Sharpton enthusiastically proclaimed: “In so many areas, this attorney general has fought for the American people. Getting record settlements from Wall Street firms for their role in the financial crisis of 2008. Pushing for marriage equality by declining to defend the Defense of Marriage Act in court. And opening civil rights investigations in more than 20 police departments.”
The liberal host noted: “One of those police departments is in Ferguson, Missouri, where the attorney general himself traveled this summer, working to calm tensions and find justice for the family of Michael Brown,” the large African-American teenager who was shot and killed by white police officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9.
“Holder also accomplished something Robert Kennedy could not do in the 1960s,” Sharpton remarked. “He went himself to the scene of a civil-rights complaint” in Ferguson. “He did not send the assistant attorney general, so in this polarized time, he's done a great job.”
“This attorney general has accomplished so much, and so many are sad to see him leave … because his record has been so impressive and his commitment so strong,” Sharpton continued before praising Holder as “the fourth-longest-serving attorney general in U.S. history” and the person who worked to “reform our criminal justice system, leading to the first decline in the federal prison population in 30 years.”
“Holder also accomplished something Robert Kennedy could not do in the 1960s. “He went himself to the scene of a civil-rights complaint” in Ferguson. “He did not send the assistant attorney general, so in this polarized time, he's done a great job."
The liberal host then expressed his disappointment that Holder is leaving “at a critical time when we need his continued diligence most” regarding such issues as "upholding voter rights and curbing an excessive use of police force – the critical challenge of today, especially for blacks and browns.”
Also on Thursday, Sharpton released a statement indicating that he and his NAN organization are “engaged in immediate conversations with the White House on deliberations over a successor whom we hope will continue” in Holder's general direction.
To be clear, the African-American activist explained that he’s not actually picking the next candidate for attorney general. “We did not say we are in the decision making,” he said. “We are in conversation to reach out” to members of the Obama administration “to have meetings about what we want to see in a successor.”
In his initial statement, the MSNBC host also urged Holder or his successor to “promptly take over the investigations” into the deaths of Brown and Eric Garner, an African-American who earlier this year died of a choke hold during an arrest in Staten Island.
Sharpton has called on the Justice Department to take over the criminal investigations of those cases. “We hope attorney general Holder will authorize this before his departure or that it becomes the first order of business for his successor.”
However, any involvement in the selection of Holder's replacement by the liberal activist drew fire from Allen West during Friday morning's edition of Fox & Friends.
The former member of the U.S. House of Representatives charged: “It’s unconscionable that Al Sharpton has this level of influence with the White House” because he's also a commentator and host of a program on a cable channel.
“And everyone knows his history, so he has no credibility whatsoever,” the retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel added. “To be able to make a statement like that and also be on a news network, that’s very concerning.”
But as NewsBusters previously reported, Sharpton abandoned his role as a peacemaker on Thursday, when he dismissed an apology from Ferguson police chief Thomas Jackson as “too little, too late.”
According to the CBS news/interview 60 Minutes program, the American Baptist minister has become “a refined agitator” and the president's “go-to guy” on matters of race.
Sharpton should probably cherish his current popularity and influence since both are likely to diminish when a new person moves into the White House after the 2016 presidential election.
