Russ Feingold: “this is a momentous day for the Senate. We are about to confirm a nominee for Attorney General of the United States who…”

“this is a momentous day for the Senate. We are about to confirm a nominee for Attorney General of the United States who with two short declarative sentences uttered at his confirmation hearing--without caveats, without parsing words, without equivocation--signaled a new direction for the Department of Justice and a turning of the page in the constitutional history of this country. ``Waterboarding is torture.'' ``No one is above the law.'' With these simple words, Eric Holder reassured the Nation that the Department of Justice will be run by someone who believes in the rule of law and in impartial justice. It is sad, of course, that this is something remarkable. But that is where the last 8 years have left us. The election of 2008 had many consequences. But none is more important than a chance to restore the rule of law and repair the damage to the Department of Justice that has been done by the past administration. Eric Holder is well equipped to take on this important and difficult task for three reasons.”