Former Attorney General Eric Holder says Americans ought to give the newly confirmed head of the Justice Department, Jeff Sessions, a chance.
At a speech at the University of Buffalo, Holder said he didn't share the belief of some fellow Democrats that Sessions' positions are extreme, and fears that he'll roll back civil rights protections, the Buffalo News reported.
"It seems you ought to give people a chance, unless they're wholly unqualified," Holder said on Thursday, the News reported. "He may end up surprising us and he maybe will say, 'This is who I always was,' and I may end up saying, 'Well I've seen growth then.'"
Holder, the first African-American to be appointed Attorney General, predicted Sessions would more likely end up crossing some "red lines" on issues such as voting rights.
Holder, who's now in private practice and was hired by California as a legal adviser on potential conflicts between the state and the Trump administration, said he'll speak out publicly on issues that concern him.
But he told the university audience he would be "very sparing in my criticisms [of Sessions] because I know how tough the job is. I know how tough the decisions are," the News reported.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.