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Sen. Cornyn: Holder Admission Requires Further Investigation By Senate

Urging Clemency for Terrorists Raises Deep Doubts About Nominee's Judgment

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Judiciary Committee, made the following statement regarding today’s committee hearing on the nomination of Eric Holder to be Attorney General.

“Today's revelation that Eric Holder recommended clemency to President Clinton for the 16 Puerto Rican terrorists over the repeated objections of career Justice Department lawyers raises deep concerns about his judgment and independence.

“Equally troubling is his rationale for clemency – namely, that these terrorists hadn't yet carried out their plots to murder or maim Americans. These were terrorists who had declared war on the United States – and considered themselves prisoners of war entitled to Geneva Convention rights. Many of the terrorists who were offered clemency refused to renounce violence against this nation.

“Now that Executive Privilege has been waved, it is incumbent upon my colleagues and me to fully investigate what could be one of the most unjustifiable exercises of Presidential clemency in history. We need to know whether improper political considerations and pressures played a part in Mr. Holder’s decision, and I will submit questions for the record to find out as much.”

Sen. Cornyn serves on the Armed Services, Judiciary and Budget Committees. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration, Refugees and Border Security subcommittee and the Armed Services Committee’s Airland subcommittee. He served previously as Texas Attorney General, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and Bexar County District Judge.

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