in 1990 nine, when eric holder was a deputy attorney general in the clinton administration he wrote ant has come to be known as the holder memo. in it he outlined a number of things. it was originally considered a get tough on corporate crime -- corporate crime memo because it gave them tools to go after corporate criminals but at the bottom there was this thing that he laid out call the collateral consequences doctrine. what it meant was that if you are a prosecutor and you are talking about one of these big corporate offenders and you are worried that you may affect innocent victims, shareholders or innocent executives that might lose their jobs, you may consider other alternatives, other remedies besides criminal prosecutions. again, at the time it was a completely sensible thing to lay out. of course it makes sense to not always destroy a company if you can avoid it. but what they have done is conflated that sometimes sensible policy with a policy of not going after any individuals for any crimes which is totally acceptable. >> is it not the case that in some of these cases they ar

it has to do about eric holder and nothing to do with loretta lynch. he republican frustration with their inability to investigate, i suppose, holder, is so great that now they've finally got the majority, they're determined to use this moment in the spotlight as a referendum on holder and not lynch. that's, of course, good for lynch, because it ensures she'll be confirmed. but it really ensures that the important issues that, as you suggested an attorney general deals with, won't be ventilated. i was more interested in the differences between lynch and holder on issues relating from nsa surveillance, to the death penalty, marijuana. on those issues she suggested she would be to the right of holder. she enthusiastically embraced the death penalty. and she said she thought it was an effective deterrent. she said that she would not support the decriminalization of pot. holder had moved in the other direction. on nsa surveillance, she called it effective and constitutional. holder had defended it but she seemed to go a little further. on all these matters,

she's not eric holder. and they're glad she's not eric holder and she's not barack obama. so that's what so many hours, so many questions were about. it was about the questions much more than the answer. she was not really defending eric holder or defending the policies of the obama administration. i would be stunned at this point if she's not confirmed and only takes two republicans to vote for her on committee to send it to the floor. i think she's sailing to -- gwen: orin hatch -- >> unless something comes out that we don't know about. >> i'm curious how this is affecting her relationship with the base and how they're going to get their base in. what have you seen on that front? >> it seems like on the surface, that things are calmer than they actually are. so many house republican members i talked to are still hearing so many phone calls from their constituents and districts largely because of what speaker boehner is doing on immigration. we thought immigration was resolved. but that's the one key piece of the funding dispute still out there. and by february 27, by the

as i said back in september when he decided to step down, i am enormously grateful to eric holder for his outstanding service in this position. he is one of the longest-serving attorney generals in american history, and one of our finest. eric brought to this job a belief that justice isn't just an abstract theory, but a living, breathing principle. it's about how laws interact with the daily lives of our people. whether we can make an honest living. whether we can provide for our families. whether we feel safe in our own communities. and welcome in our own country. whether the words that the founders set to paper 238 years ago apply to every one of us in our time. so thanks to eric, our nation is safer and freer and more americans, regardless of race or religion, or gender or creed, or sexual orientation, or disability, receive fair and equal treatment under the law. i couldn't be prouder of that. and i couldn't be prouder that today i can announce somebody who shares that fierce commitment to equal justice under the law, as my nominee for the next attorney general, u.s. attorney lor

stories they don't like and whistleblowers there to tell the truth. >> incendiary rhetoric used by eric holder created a pathway of false rhetoric that then became a rallying cry for cop haters across america. >> the department being eroded, the situation is not good in this country. >> general holder called america a nation of cowards. well, if you remember nothing else from my comments, please remember this, i am not a coward. and i am not a victim. i'm a messenger for all of those americans who love our country love our fellow countrymen and pray for a better tomorrow. >> here now are three people who testified at today's hearing milwaukee county sheriff david clarke investigative journalist sherl attkisson. more than anything, i know a lot of people didn't have time to watch the whole hearing. i wanted to give you all an opportunity to tell your story. and why this is important as we now go through the process of picking a new attorney general. kathrine, we'll start with you. you told them today what? >> i told them today that the department of justice has been an ever-present shadow in my

>> in a lot of ways republicans just can't quit eric holder. they've been obsessed with him for a long time and even with a nod in the room they continue to bang the drum. they have for a while. but when you look at how loretta lynch has answered the question today, she is a different person than eric holder. they have different backgrounds and different experiences and i think she answered a -- clearly cleared the bar in showing her qualifications and she has the poise and especially with some of the more difficult questions, really kind of knocked it out of the park. >> well on one of those more difficult questions, pete was just laying out that it was kind of tricky for her to deal with questions about the president's actions on immigration. how did you think she did, matthew, in terms of balancing support for the president's policies while making clear that she was going to uphold the law? >> i think she walked the exact right line. it is not her job to have reviewed the policies in depth when she was a u.s. attorney is she read the memos a

eric holder was there. the debbie terry of homeland security -- deputy secretary of homeland security will not attend the march. the white house said no official comment. what are your thoughts on this? joseph is an independent. good morning. caller: good morning. i want to talk to c-span for a minute. how can you go to paris and televised something and then we had nothing about the riots in new york and ferguson. you never have independents. this is not equal opportunity. this is bullshit. host: the images you see are not c-span cameras in paris. what do you make of the attendants? president obama was not there. "the wall street journal" writes . host: mark, you are up. it caller: yes, i was calling about the march that they had in paris. we have hundreds of young black children being killed in the united states. the president denounced the killing of two city workers that work for the police department. he did not denounce the police that have killed unarmed children. why should we worry about paris and a

you have known eric holder and loretta lynch, eric holder was soft-spoken as well. and then there were things like ferguson and the immigration debate. are you concerned that the office may define the person as opposed to her defining this office? >> i don't think so. he is a very bound and determined career prosecutor. she is going to focus on the department and let the facts speak for themselves and not get into rhetoric beyond that. >> for our audience we'll remind them they are going through house-keeping matters right now. will she define the office or will the office define here? >> it's a terrific question. i have said that being attorney general is the hardest job in the administration. you don't work for the president you work for the nation. she said she would wake up every day, first thinking about the safety of the american people as her priority. so she wouldn't allow the job to define her, but she recognizes that the job will in many ways make the person as much as the person can make the job. so she's a very determined focused and even a low-key perso

i mean eric holder said earlier in the show we'll increase coordination.here's going to be a meeting in mid-february about increased -- i thought there was koord nationcoordination between the european allies and america in all our counterterrorism activities? is there not enough? >> the french have been -- and the british -- >> very aggressive. >> very strong allies a good exchange of information. but we know pre-9/11 we evenally didn't share the way we should have. >> do french operatives not like to share? >> you're trained to keep secrets but the show of national unity, what viewers are seeing on the screen what's most important to me from my time at the white house is you've got to harness that now, right? it's more than just showing up. you see king abdullah and the queen of jordan. where are the leaders of egypt and saudi and the emirates? it's their fight, too. i think it's very important that it's not just a show of unity. you've got -- jeremy pointed out earlier to me you have mahmood abbas there, the palestinian leader who just cut a deal with h

some questions especially about eric holder already there. why after his meetings with french officials he decided -- and also appearing on the morning shows, why he decided to come back. but again, administration officials say where it counts the most the president and the administration stands firmly with france. ronan? >> and of course eric holder was here. although he wasn't at the rally. it's important to note as well. chris, i also wanted to get an update on the latest threats out of isis we're hearing new things on that front? >> in addition to the counter terrorism aspects of this that the united states is offering assistance to there's a lot that the united states learns. every time there's an incident like this there's a new evaluation of it. they also look at what happened here and are there lessons to be learn here in the united states. next month the white house is going to be hosting a delayed summit to counter extremism. they also have a pilot programs up and running in cities like boston and los angeles, looking ats ways for l

just don't be eric holder. >> this was fully expected.rtly because, and i think actually senator schumer said it yesterday, her record is so impeccable, so stellar, so unassailable that it was very clear there wasn't much hay to be made. i think everyone expected that largely this would be a kind of performance piece about eric holder. as a matter of fact, at some point i tweeted very early on in senator grassley's opening remarks the first times the words "fast and furious" were said because we knew what the conversation would be. even senator cornyn. we challenged the case of texas's voter i.d. law, and we won. so to hear senator cornyn and to hear this representative try and paint in some way holder's record on voting as anything other than, you know, heroic courageous, and important, was distressing but completely expected. and there was really nothing for lynch to say. it was just a series of statements. >> when you say performance piece, i say ted cruz. so ted cruz had some things to say. this was really more about, again, not about

i checked my phone and i had no missed calls from attorney general eric holder, but having done thisfor 30 years, anderson, i will tell you and represented many officers in civil rights investigations some who have been prosecuted and it is very rare that anybody will call us one way or another and say that we are going to go forward or not. i would not expect it at h this level or not, because it is only a recommendation. there are a lot of hands that it has to go through before it is final. >> and neil i know that you talked to darren wilson about it tonight, and how is he doing? >> well, he is doing okay. he's enjoying the anonymity i guess we've had here in st. louis for the past few weeks anyway, but, you know, while he's cautiously optimistic, he also knows and i've said to him time and again, if true, this is at best a preliminary recommendation and we have to be very careful not just to assume it's over. at some point, we should have an answer but we don't have it yet. >> jeff, in terms of the legal bar, jeff toobin, when it comes to bringing federal civil rights charges, it'

eric holder has refused to prosecute. i want to know if she'll follow up on that. >> certainly a lot of questioning about those immigration executive orders and more to come as they've just about wrapped up their first round of questioning. the new senator from north carolina is next in line. walters is next in our line -- walter's next on our line. go ahead. >> yes. i just want to say that ms. lynch put out one of the best exhibitions of being a professional in her line of business and if she's not confirmed it would be a shame to the congress and it would be a shame to america. this is a very sharp, intelligent woman who is very professional who answered all their questions. and came across as an excellent, excellent candidate for attorney general. and if she is not confirmed, everybody in the senate ought to just resign their positions is what should happen. >> on to alexander in pennsylvania on our republican line. this is barry of the just make sure folks, you turn down your television or radio when you call in. barr

. >> attorney general eric holder was in paris. >> jon: okay, all right, there you go. i'm sorry. i jumped to conclusions. eric holder the top law official in the united states our attorney general i mean come be o, france hold certificate not good enough you. you are only happen with the grande fromage. >> although attorney general eric holder was in paris for counterterrorism meetings he did not attend the march. [bleep]. >> jon: eric holder you were in france in paris at the time of the march and were like-- (laughter) oh, i get it you were probably taking advantage of the shortest tourist lines in french history. while the march is going on you're kicking back snapping self--years with the mona lisa stealing catacomb bone finally getting a table at france's most popular rat-owned bistro. is that what you were doing it? unbelievable. an enormous global rally in supporting freedom of expression after attack on a close ally and the u.s. was a no-show? it is going to take a lot to make up for this. >> john kerry said this morning he will go to translater this week. (laughter) >> j

>> why attorney general eric holder didn't go is beyond me. he was there with a meeting for other justice of interior meetings. i don't think it makes any difference whether the president or vice president went. there are obviously security concerns here. the real question is not the symbolic importance of the march yesterday but whether anything changes. france announced they will deploy military assets inside france to protect jewish sites for example schools synagogues and the like. that's fine as far as it goes but it is purely defensive. the question is whether you simply wait and be attacked and then respond with a law enforcement mentality or whether you go after the terrorists in their base camps their areas of operation the safe havens they have chafshed out in syria, iraq, yemen and others. that's the issue. >> you are not admitting the war on radical islam they are not showing up for this rally. sarah palin wrote this on facebook. i have no idea what took precedence on our president's schedule but we arethey are unified against isla

cheryl: eric holder was in town. >> eric holder was in town and secretary kerry was in india.at from paris? a lot of the plans weren't made until the last-minute. to not send someone high level, besides the president, i can't even talk about it. it's unspeakable. i'm on the american board of reporters without borders. this is a huge issue for us. to not have a representative of high caliber from the united states is -- cheryl: you have to wonder if eric holder knew -- he's not a head of state. merkel. maybe he realized he wouldn't get a shot at the crowd. the photo op wouldn't be there. >> i think the white house made this call. it's not a knock on the u.s. it's a knock on the west. the president has symbolic powers. even after six years president obama doesn't seem to recognize this. this was an attack on an ally. it was an attack on western civilization. an attack on our values. and you would think the supposed leader of the free world would want to stand in solidarity with others pushing that. i believe he's apologizing because of how it looked. because of the blowback. >>

because eric holder traveled to ferguson he traveled to the community and talked about how aggressivethe department of justice would be in its own independent investigation but the thought of not being a federal prosecution given the state prosecution will leave a lot of activists and people who are on the ground in ferguson very disappointed. >> if i can just add one thing, anderson there are two issues still outstanding. one is a civil lawsuit by michael brown's family against officer wilson and certainly against the ferguson police department and also there is a civil federal investigation aimed at reforming the ferguson police department. both of those certainly will proceed proceed. >> neil to that point, have you heard anything about when or if that may happen if there's going to be a civil suit against darren wilson? >> i certainly have heard rumbling that there is an intent to bring a suit. i know at least one of the lawyers who represents the brown family has been in contact with the city and has made overtures indicating they intend to bring a claim but to what jeff had said

>> eric holder, al sharpton owe the city of ferguson an apology.terday you feel eric holder is guilty of race bait. why? >> take a look at the history here. this isn't the first time that he has done this sort of thing. he sat up there for months slandering law enforcement officers all across the nation. he's the one in ferguson, missouri that brought up the racial profiling term and that we're going to end racial profiling once and for all, he said. he invoked that into this thing when that was never any part of what happened between the -- the tragedy between officer darren wilson and mike brown. but again, you know, this is kind of habit now for this justice department under eric holder. and i think it's a shame. >> i think the justice department felt like they had to do something because al sharpton who is an advisor to the television to the president of the united states was on television saying things like this at the time. >> how many people have to die before people understand this is not an illusion. this is a reality that america has got

eric holder is not the nominee. loretta lynch, daughter of a marine and reverend lorenzo lynch a u.s. attorney, twice unanimously confirmed by the united states senate applauded for her law enforcement work, that's who is being called upon to consider. after hearing her testimony before the committee and reviewing her record, know one in good faith could question her integrity or her ability. she said yesterday she looks forward to working with congress to confront the many issues fatesing americans today, she's met with over 50 senators in both parties. soy hope we can come together in the senate to support this historic confirmation of an outstanding public servant and move quickly doing it. host: some of the testimony from earlier today. the committee is in recess until, we think, about 1:30 eastern or so. there are votes on the senate floor related to the keystone x.l. pipeline. get some more thought from you on your priorities for the next attorney general. you can join the phone conversation. 202-748-8920 for

where was eric holder? those are some of the questions the america media and world media is asking today. you let the world down, mr. president, that according to "the new york daily news." i want to get your opinion because "fox & friends" starts right now. >> a fox news alert. america on alert this morning because while you were sleeping isis posting a new video on social media calling for more lone wolf attacks on our police officers, military and civilians. >> authorities taking no chances with this new threat. new york city police already sending out a memo instructing officers to, quote, pay close attention to people as they approach you. look for their hands. >> it didn't stop there. the memo also saying at least one officer must stand outside their patrol car at all times. this in light of what happened with the assassination of those two cops a few weeks ago. that precaution a sad reminder of what those two officers went through in brooklyn last month. and that came from the unions, more than anyth

eric. she can't be worse than holder. have to try really hard. >> you really have to do something. >> but people question her because they always question the judgment of president obama. if he had nominated a freshly reanimated ronald reagan we rejected strictly out of suspicion. >> the truth has been -- >> that's true. legitimately president obama has the judgment of a bitter grad student. >> gearing up for michael mukasey in 2007 democrats were very aggressive. >> i want to play this since you brought up sheriff clark, we have a montage -- >> the united states has held itself up for open accountable government. today those freedoms are under assault. >> we're watching a fundamental change in our constitutional system. it's changing in the very way that the framers warned us to avoid. the justice system has played a troubling role in those changes. >> i viewed the united states department of justice as an ally in the pursuit of justice. what i have witnessed under the leadership of attorney general eric holder has been

and eric holder is certainly the wrong man to send.the rights the imaginary rights of hard core terrorists than about defending our country. and we have to be much sterner much stricter. we have to focus not on the rights of the enemy, but the rights of americans. and we have this great divide between the average american. like the people watching this show today they get it. it's islamist terror, it is a danger. we have to take reasonable measures domestically to fight it and we have to take domestic measures abroad to fight it. the problem is we have this governing elite that really doesn't believe in america any more. that is the fundamental problem. we have fighting islamist terror is we have an administration and an elite overall -- you know the berkeley cambridge axis that just doesn't believe in america. >> and critics of france's immigration policy would say that these events highlight a problem. and we're starting to hear a lot more about these no-go zones why sharee ya law is in place, where radicalization is happening out in

i think eric holder and barack obama are uniquely qualified to lead that conversation.y have no interest in having it. lou: no interest in having it and i struggle to comprehend why i think so many of us in this country actually believe -- you and i have never talked about it but i actually was one of those people who thought we had a pretty good shot at being a postracial society with the election of this president. >> i don't think the heft has any interest -- the left has any interest in being postracial. they believe in divvying us up by race and gender and sexual orientation and making specific appeals based on those characteristics. i think that is the essence of identity politics, and that's what they believe in. i don't think they have any interest in being postracial whatsoever. lou: why do you think there is sort of deference to a president or a former president who says ignorant things that these two men have said? and i realize i'm going to catch holy hell for what i'm saying. i'm defying the avatars -- >> well, the worst part of it is that bill clinton and

the fact of the matter is, all of us know eric holder. i'm not too sure that all of us knew him the real eric holder before he became our attorney general. eric holder has moved that office to a level many of us never thought we would see. he assumed the kind of compassion for the law that a lot of us, especially those of us growing up in the south looked for when we sought -- thought about the fulfillment of our dreams and aspirations. i have sat down with sensenbrenner, and john in his office looking at court decisions, working on trying to figure out ways to move a positive agenda. and i can tell you ab without any equivocation, eric holder is the the me of what martin luther king jr. said when he said "all of us can be great all of us conservan serve." he is the academy of a public servant, and i'm pleased -- it hitepitome a bit of a servant and i'm pleased to present him. [applause] >> good afternoon afternoon. i've spent many an interesting day in this room. [laughter] ron, you can attest to that, right? it's a pleasure for me to be

eric holder. part reformers aren't afraid of the resolution. the nominee opposes legalization but pot leaders don't see her as a threat. the gop case against laura lynch falls apart. just some of the headlines from today. witnesses testified before the judiciary committee on the nomination of loretta lynch. there justification went on for about three and a half hours. >> for the members who are present except for the ones that are here already, and other people that come in, you will be called on according to how our respective staff keep track of you in the order of your appearance. before chairman leahy and i get our opening statements come up i would like to go over some things i said yesterday. first of all, we welcome everyone to the second day of hearing on ms. lynch's nomination to the attorney general. as i said yesterday, and everybody provided by this, and i think everyone yesterday for their courtesy -- i want everyone to watch the hearing without obstruction. if people stand up and block the view of those behind them, it is not fair

doubt. >> she was actual hi asked by one of the republicans on the committee, literally are you eric holderre what he meant by that. are you everything we dislike about the obama administration i guess, something like that. >> what they don't like is holder doesn't put up with any crap from them. he stood up for voting rights where they've been busy trying to take voting rights away, and a number of other things. he certainly is a strong figure. i think they resent that. this is their only chance to get him on the way out the door. but her record is outstanding. bill o'reilly thinks she's "law and order," she's pretty "law and order." >> jeff sessions came up with a rational for why every republican senator should oppose this nomination. let's listen to that. i guess we don't have it on video. he said -- >> no, that's the other thing. >> so howard dean how much of a problem do you think that's going to be for loretta lynch moving forward? >> i think it's fairly minor problem. she's entitled to her interpretation of the law, which is shared by most legal experts. so this is over the classic

what's eric holder done in our community.t has he done. >> there are only two people. >> the leader of the free world. >> there are a lot of people that can make a difference. stop the name calling and come to -- >> who is that calling eric holder a poverty pimp. exam. lou: supporting the folks who put together demonstrations that many people were believing were spontaneous response in ferguson when it turns out it was orchestrated, bought and paid for by a billionaire. what do you call that? >> i don't agree with that. i'm from a history of demonstrations. >> i am, too. >> a lot of this is organic. lou: tell me why valerie jarrett dismiss over a million people, more people were marching in france this weekend than have ever marched in the united states to oppose and to demonstrate against radical islamists in europe, and this presidential adviser, his senior adviser, dismisses them and the leaders of 44 nations as being in a parade. she said it not once twice! >> i can't speak to that. look, they already said they felt they

kelly, how much about the hearing is about loretta lynch and how much is about eric holder? >> reporter: almost equal parts because do want to get to know loretta lynch and teasing out her life answers through her answers an that is important to get to know who she is through her answers and getting to know who she is on a public stage but eric holder is a prime target for republicans who, over several years who has been more supportive of president than holding an apolitical position. so to get to loretta lynch to refer to eric holder in any answers is an acknowledgment to see, to see her distance herself not on big substantive ways but trying to make clear she understands there has been concerns and she will respond using her own analysis and experience and judgment. and for republicans that is something they wanted to see. now one of the arts and gifts that she brings in her lawyering skills and her poise is she's responding to some of the more contentious questions with answers that include, needing to know the specifics and the given time. that is what great witnesses d

i'm not -- all of us know eric holder. eric holder has moved that office to a level many of us never thought he would see. he has shown the kind of compassion for the law that a lot of us, especially those of us growing up in the south look for when we thought about the fulfillment of our dreams and aspirations. i have sat down in his office looking at court decisions working on trying to figure out ways to move a positive agenda and i can tell you without any equivocation eric holder is the pity me of what martin luther king junior said -- is the epitome of what martin luther king junior said. he is the epitome of a public servant. i'm pleased to present him at this time. [applause] >> thank you. >> good afternoon. i spent many an interesting day in this room. [laughter] ron, you could attest to that. it's a pleasure for me to be here for this occasion. it is it tremendous privilege to join so many distinguished guest and colleagues as we recognize congressman john conyers for his lifetime of dedicated service and his lea

more than 40 world leaders and attorney general eric holder are at that march. france is still recovering from this week's terrorist attacks that left 17 people dead. the three men behind the terrorism were killed friday by police. >>> right now there's an international manhunt for a woman. what we just learn heard husband also shot and seriously wounded a jogger the same day as that "charlie hebdo" magazine shooting. turkish police say boumeddiene fled to syria. police are still working to confirm that information. >>> search teams say sonar has brought them very close to the black boxes and the fuselage of the crashed airasia plane in the java sea. the plane crashed off the coast of indonesia just two weeks ago. they say they're hearing pings from the boxes as well. intoe knee shann officials say recovering and identifying the bodies of those believed dead is a top priority even if the boxes are found. >>> right now haiti is still working to recover from a devin stating earthquake. >> that's right. that happened exactly five years ago today. it killed more tha

and if the republicans don't vote for her, then eric holder will stay. would rather have eric holder. hopefully they don't vote for her. host: johnny. you're next, johnny. good morning to you. caller: good morning, greta. actually, it is donny. thank you. first of all, from everything i have read about her, she seems to be very qualified for the position. and i am an african young man, and i would like some of eric holder's policies to continue. but with regards to immigration i hear democrats and republicans both say that this is a nation of immigrants. but we seem to back away from that. i heard a caller earlier say that as long as they don't have the filing criminal history, we should let people come into this nation. i think it should be -- there should be an easier way for immigrants to come to this nation. host: well, eric holder's policies are certainly going to be discussed today, during day to -- day two. are you going to be watching? caller: i will probably be watching. i will read the newspapers tomorrow, and of course i will be checking in wi

attorney general eric holder is in paris. we will continue with this incredible coverage of this incredible scene that you see right now. >> it's an incredible seen as france remains in locks up. the country also remains on high alert with boumeddiene still on the loose. they identify her as the common law wife of the gunman in the kosher standoff. she may have fled france in advance knowing the attacks were about to take praise. we get a verified video showing her husband supporting extremist extremists infront of the islamic state flag. it was reportedly taken just before friday. he is also being linked in the shooting of a jogger on the same day as the charlie hebdo attack. we're live in paris with the latest on the investigation. greg? >> reporter: arthel yeah as we watch that massive march and massive security effort, we can also tell you a massive investigation of the horrible events that occurred here this week continues intensely by the authorities. just in the last 24 hours, there has been a release of six people who

attorney general eric holder was in paris but he missed the rally.separate sunday shows he refused to say the up s. is at war with radical islam. >> i think we are at war with those who would commit terrorist attack the and corrupt the islamic faith in the way they do to justify their terrorist aks. so that's who we are at war with. i would say we are at war with the terrorists who commit those heinous acts and use a corrupted version of islam to justify their actions. martha: walid faris is an islamic strategist. good morning to you. what goes through your mind when you hear that? >> some are using the term islamophobia to shut down criticism of the extremists. they have such an irrational fear of anything and everything that has to do with dealing with the islamic movement. i think they have been badly have ited. about it academic elite and islamic labies in washington telling them if you -- islamic lobbies in washington telling them if you use the word it will make it worse. but the open is true. if you don't use these words people in the muslim w

you mentioned eric holder. her sorority sister at harvard was sharon malone eric holder's wife.e are a lot of connections here. >> right. and i think these are all reasons why it's going to be very tough for people to vote against her. >> and pete when she faces these questions about eric holder and his record what they wanted to know is will she be independent as attorney general, or will she veer toward being the president's lawyer. this has been an issue not only in this white house but certainly in the bush white house. her answers were that she would use her own judgment. she was right down the line on that. >> right. there were several republicans who quoted -- who said that eric holder once described himself as the president's wing man. she said the job of the attorney general is to be independent and sometimes to give the people you work for the answer they may not want to hear. >> pete williams thank you very much. as you continue to follow the shearing. a judge in south carolina has tossed out the conviction of nine black men 54 years after they were arrested for sitti

eric holder at the end of the day doesn't make the law and facts. be bound by what the investigation says. just to be clear, at the federal level what ends up happening is regardless of what eric holder wants to do personally you're bound by the law. unlike a state prosecution where you can charge recklessness on the part in the event that's what the grand jury determined. you could charge it was a reckless act, that the officer disregarded the risk that he was careless. you could come up with a number of theories for prosecution at the state level in the event that's what facts demonstrated. in the federal prosecution as don west was referring to it it was all about intent. unless you i have establish it was purposeful reckless violation free from excessive force, you do not have a conviction. you have to show that beyond a reasonable doubt. i think the attorney general will be bound by recommendation his assistants make to him. >> don, i guess michael brown's family could bring forth a civil suit against officer wilson correct? >> it would be sepa

> a vote against her is a vote for eric holder. thank you very much for joining us tonight. chris hayes is up next. i'm chris matthews in washington. let me start tonight with this. remember when supreme court justice potter stewart was asked about his standards on pornography and he said, i know it when i see it, i think a lot of us had reaction to netanyahu talking to congress. there's something wrong with this picture. was it done not only without his compliance, apparently, but without his knowledge? would there have been anything wrong with speaker boehner calling the president and asking what he would think of such an invitation? was there reason to go around him in secret and inviting a foreign leader to address a matter of obvious national urgent concern to us americans or was it because this invitation was accepted by someone running himself for re-election just two weeks after his appearance here? is it right to set up a cheering section and live pictures of the cheering to the voters in israel? is it wrong to have a fore

she's not going to be the crusader that eric holder was. loretta lynch was to bring in against impeachments over the last two years. >> that's interesting. you suggest that there will be an impeachment investigation over the last two years? >> definitely. you have republicans controlling the house the senate, loretta lynch, she specialize in prosecuting politicians in corruption charges. she is someone who can protect this administration in case the republicans decide to get extra aggressive, and i would not put that beyond the house or senate at any tonight in the next two years. >> she did well today. there is still more to come tomorrow. any chance that she won't be confirmed? >> i don't think there is a chance. the biggest question she had to answer what do you feel about immigration policy? what do you feel about security? she gave the kind of nuance answers that you have to give, which is i have my own opinions but at the end of the day as the attorney general, it's my job to tell the president how he can get away legally what he want