Tough confirmation foreseen for Holder

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- U.S. Attorney General-designate Eric Holder will likely draw fire from Republicans in his upcoming U.S. Senate confirmation hearings, analysts say.

The GOP senators aren't expected to put up much resistance against other Cabinet appointments by U.S. President-elect Barack Obama because of an overwhelming need to address the economic crisis and other matters, but the attorney general nominee is a different story, The Boston Globe reported Monday.

Analysts told the newspaper Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee have singled out Holder -- a deputy attorney general under former President Bill Clinton -- as a prime target, with both sides preparing for a tough questioning on Holder's role in such controversial Clinton-era events as the 2001 presidential pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich.

One unnamed senior Republican Senate aide told the Globe that while GOP senators are not necessarily looking to derail Holder's appointment, they intend to force a careful review of his record.

"No one on our side wants to filibuster or slow down this nominee; that's not the issue," the aide said.