Cohen Statement on Attorney General Holder’s Resignation

[MEMPHIS, TN] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, released the following statement regarding the resignation of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder:

“Eric Holder served our nation well as the United States Attorney General. I enjoyed working closely with him on several issues of justice, and I commend him for his herculean efforts to strengthen and protect voting rights and civil rights, as well as for his work on many other important justice issues including reforming our nation’s outdated drug laws.”

“One of the issues that I spoke with Attorney General Holder about, both in Committee and in person, was commutations for those who are serving prison sentences that are in excess of the current sentencing guidelines. In his remaining time at the Justice Department, I hope the Attorney General encourages President Obama to expand the use of commutations which are just based on the Fair Sentencing Act, which brought racially-biased federal sentences for certain drug offenses closer to where they should be.”