AG choice Holder called tough, independent

CHICAGO, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Eric H. Holder Jr. is tough and independent, a potent one-two punch for leading the U.S. Justice Department, President-elect Barack Obama said Monday.

"Eric Holder has ... distinguished himself as a prosecutor, a judge and a senior official," Barack Obama said of his U.S. attorney general nominee during a news conference in Chicago. "And he is deeply familiar with the law enforcement challenges we face from terrorism to counterintelligence, from white-collar crime to public corruption."

Obama said his nominee "has the combination of toughness and independence" needed to run the Justice Department, which has been accused of becoming politicized under former attorney general Alberto Gonzales.

"It is incumbent those of us who lead the department to ensure not only that the nation is safe but also that our laws and traditions are respected," Holder said. "We can and we must ensure that the American people remain secure and that the great constitutional guarantees that define us as a nation are truly valued."

If confirmed, Holder said he would look forward to working with congressional Republicans and Democrats to develop policies "that are both protective and consistent with who we are as a nation."