Specter says he will support Holder

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- Sen. Arlen Specter, the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee, said Tuesday he will support Eric Holder's nomination for U.S. attorney general.

The committee is expected to vote on Holder's nomination Wednesday, after a vote was delayed amid requests by Republicans concerned about his views on terror detainee interrogations in the Bush administration.

Specter also has said he wanted to know more about Holder's role eight years ago in President Clinton's pardon of Marc Rich, an indicted financier who fled the country to avoid prosecution, The New York Times reported.

Specter had a recent private meeting with Holder.

"We talked about the difference in interrogation techniques, Army Field Manual contrasted with what the FBI does, contrasted with what the CIA does, talked about sentencing of white-collar criminals, my concern that you have multimillion-dollar fines, which is a pittance compared to the billions of dollars involved in some of these transactions, and the need for jail sentences to deter people," Specter said of the meeting.