Holder confirmed; GOP refocuses on Daschle

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By Ben Conery and Sean Lengell

Eric H. Holder Jr., once considered the Obama administration's only Cabinet nominee against whom Republicans could rally, became the nation's first black attorney general Monday, as Republican senators turned their attention to Tom Daschle's tax problem to question his previously unchallenged bid to head the Department of Health and Human Services.

The Senate confirmed Mr. Holder by a vote of 75-21, with Democrats praising his rise to become the nation's top law-enforcement official as a fulfillment of civil rights leader Martin Luther King's dream. They also said he is the perfect fit to oversee the legal aspects of President Obama's fight against terrorists.

"It is a statement that we all want to restore the integrity and competence of the Justice Department and to restore another critical component - the American people's confidence in federal law enforcement," said Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick J. Leahy, Vermont Democrat, referring to criticisms that the Bush administration abused its authority over the department and damaged its reputation.

Mr. Holder's confirmation never appeared to be in serious doubt, although Republicans delayed it for a week and railed against his record as a top Justice Department official during the Clinton administration. They specifically attacked Mr. Holder's role in the pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich and his involvement in clemency for a group of Puerto Rican terrorists.

They also feared that Mr. Holder would prosecute intelligence officials who carried out controversial interrogation techniques during the Bush administration. Mr. Holder sought to allay those fears in a written response to questions from Republican Sens. Jon Kyl of Arizona and John Cornyn of Texas.

Sen. Christopher S. Bond, Missouri Republican and vice chairman of the intelligence committee, told The Washington Times last week that Mr. Holder went even further during a private discussion, saying that he explicitly promised not to pursue such prosecutions.

Prior to the vote, the Senate Finance Committee met privately with Mr. Daschle, whose nomination as health and human services secretary seemed a sure thing until news broke last week that he failed to pay more than $128,000 in taxes.

The former Senate Democratic leader from South Dakota blamed his tax problems on miscommunication with his tax accountant and a former employer who failed to supply him with proper tax-return information.

"My failure to recognize that the gift of a car was income and not a gift from a good friend was a mistake," Mr. Daschle told a gathering of reporters. "When I realized the mistake, I notified officials and paid the tax in full."

In a letter to committee members a day earlier, he said that he was "deeply embarrassed and disappointed" about his delinquent tax payment and that the lapse was unintentional.