Obama’s AG pick breaks from Bush on torture, GTMO – Kansas City Star

counterterrorism policy and declared a major break from the Bush administration.

“Waterboarding is torture,” said Holder, President-elect Barack Obama’s pick to run the Justice Department.

Holder’s blunt response to the first question at his confirmation hearing Thursday was one that many on the Senate Judiciary Committee had sought after years of frustrating non-answers on the subject from Attorney General Michael Mukasey and his predecessor, Alberto Gonzales.

The answer also sent a wave of approval through the public viewing gallery where protesters, dressed in orange prison scrubs like those worn by detainees at the Guantanamo Bay military prison, held signs calling for an end to torture.

The 57-year-old former prosecutor, who would become the nation’s first black attorney general, pledged to shut down the U.S.

naval prison in Cuba in part by sending detainees to trial in the United States, and restore the Justice Department’s reputation of independence from political interference.

Holder told lawmakers he did not believe the attorney general’s job was to serve as the president’s lawyer – a frequent criticism of Gonzales’ tenure under President George W.

counterterrorism policy and declared a major break from the Bush administration.”Waterboarding is torture,” said Holder, President-elect Barack Obama’s pick to run the Justice Department.Holder’s blunt response to the first question at his confirmation hearing Thursday was one that many on the Senate Judiciary Committee had sought after years of frustrating non-answers on the subject from Attorney General Michael Mukasey and his predecessor, Alberto Gonzales.The answer also sent a wave of approval through the public viewing gallery where protesters, dressed in orange prison scrubs like those worn by detainees at the Guantanamo Bay military prison, held signs calling for an end to torture.The 57-year-old former prosecutor, who would become the nation’s first black attorney general, pledged to shut down the U.S.

naval prison in Cuba in part by sending detainees to trial in the United States, and restore the Justice Department’s reputation of independence from political interference.Holder told lawmakers he did not believe the attorney general’s job was to serve as the president’s lawyer – a frequent criticism of Gonzales’ tenure under President George W.

Source: http://www.kansascity.com/445/story/981270.html