News

State Leaders Confirm New AG: Not Before Republicans Question The Decision to Hire Eric Holder

Published

10 years ago

January 23, 2017

By Manny Otiko/California Black Media

Although Gov. Jerry Brown say that California is projected to face a $1. 6 billion shortfall next summer, Democrats, who control the state legislature, have decided to hire former Attorney General Eric Holder on a $25,000 per month, three-month contract.Holder was the first African-American attorney general. He was appointed by President Barack Obama and served from 2009 to 2015.

Democratic legislators said they hired Eric Holder in preparation for policies that they expect President-elect Donald Trump to enact. Trump made deporting all

Eric Holder

undocumented immigrants a central part of his platform, although he later backed off some areas of this. Some California cities have said they will not follow any deportation orders by becoming sanctuary cities. According to a statement released by the Trump campaign, he promised to “cancel all federal funding to sanctuary cities.”

“With the upcoming change in administrations, we expect that there will be extraordinary challenges for California in the uncertain times ahead,” said Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) in a joint statement. “This is a critical moment in the history of our nation. We have an obligation to defend the people who elected us and the policies and diversity that make California an example of what truly makes our nation great.”

De Leon and Rendon also said they hired Holder’s Covington & Burling law firm to “resist any attempts to roll back the progress California has made.”

However, some Republicans feel this is a waste of both resources and manpower. They argued that California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who was confirmed on

Attorney General Xavier Becerra

Friday, should handle the state’s legal issues. The state Attorney General’s office has 4,500 lawyers on staff.

State Sen. Ted Gaines (R-El Dorado,) said it was part of Becerra’s job duties to handle legal issues that concern the state.

“My real issue is we have a state attorney general,” said Gaines. “It is his job to protect the interests of California. That is his function.”

Gaines added that it wasn’t clear where the funds for Holder are going to come from. Gaines said that he has also heard from constituents who were upset at what they see as wasteful spending.

“They’re very frustrated,” Gaines said. “They thought it (hiring Holder) was not necessary.”

Sen. Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama) called the decision to hire Holder a “waste of money.”

“How can the state afford to pay for an out-of-state overpriced lawyer when we could be using those funds to help the poor and those in need?” said Nielsen in a press release. “This unnecessary action is provocative and premature given that this administration has not yet taken office nor its agenda been established.”

However, Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles,) said California could be facing unique legal challenges that require the skills of Holder’s law firm.

“I have no doubt that the congressman (Becerra) understands the extraordinary gravity and importance of this position of attorney general, particularly in light of the times and given circumstances in Washington. That said, we are where we are. Donald Trump is president and he has threatened to eviscerate much of what we cherish in California,” said Jones-Sawyer.

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Black History

HISTORY MADE: Keisha Lance Bottoms Becomes First Black Woman Elected Governor in American History

ATLANTA DAILY WORLD — History has been made in Georgia. Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, has been elected governor of Georgia, becoming the first Black woman in American history to win the highest executive office in any state.

Published

1 week ago

November 5, 2026

Post News Group

Keisha Lance Bottoms during her 2026 Democratic gubernatorial primary victory speech. Photo: Sikis2021 / Wikimedia Commons.

History has been made in Georgia. Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, has been elected governor of Georgia, becoming the first Black woman in American history to win the highest executive office in any state.

Bottoms’ victory over Republican businessman Rick Jackson represents a defining moment in American politics, breaking a barrier that has stood since the nation’s founding and placing Georgia at the center of a historic political transformation.

For generations, Black women have played a critical role in American democracy, organizing communities, leading movements, mobilizing voters and shaping public policy. Yet despite their contributions, no Black woman had ever been elected governor of a U.S. state.

Until now.

Bottoms’ election also makes her the first woman and first Black person elected governor of Georgia, a state whose political history has been deeply shaped by slavery, segregation, the civil rights movement and the long struggle for equal representation.

Her victory carries particular significance in a state where Black women have been among the most influential forces in voter registration, political organizing and Democratic electoral success.

A fifth-generation Georgian, Bottoms previously served as Atlanta’s 60th mayor from 2018 to 2022. During her administration, she led the city through the COVID-19 pandemic, nationwide protests over racial injustice and a period of significant economic and population growth.

Following her time as mayor, Bottoms served as a senior adviser in President Joe Biden’s administration before returning to Georgia politics to pursue the governorship.

Her campaign focused on expanding access to health care, strengthening public education, increasing wages and addressing the rising cost of living. She also advocated for expanding Medicaid, raising Georgia’s minimum wage to $15 an hour and increasing compensation for teachers and other public employees.

Bottoms faced Jackson, a wealthy health care executive who invested heavily in his campaign and positioned himself as a political outsider. The contest drew national attention as Democrats sought to reclaim the Georgia governor’s office after more than two decades of Republican control.

The historic nature of Bottoms’ victory extends well beyond party politics.

Georgia, once at the center of some of America’s most consequential civil rights battles, has now elected a Black woman to lead its state government. It is a milestone that reflects generations of political participation, organizing and leadership by Black Georgians.

For Atlanta, the moment is especially significant. A former mayor of the city that helped shape the modern civil rights movement will now lead the entire state.

Bottoms’ election opens a new chapter in Georgia’s political history and establishes a milestone that will be remembered far beyond the 2026 election.

For continuing election coverage and results, visit AtlantaDailyWorld.com/election26.