Attorney General Eric Holder addressed a report in journalist Daniel Klaidman’s new book that said he had to be separated from then-White House political advisor David Axelrod after they got into a confrontation over political interference at the Justice Department.
Axelrod reportedly accused Holder of complaining publicly about the White House interfering with DOJ. Holder reportedly said Axelrod’s allegation was “bullshit” and the two men came chest to chest before being separated by Valerie Jarrett.
Holder, testifying before the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday, said he had a “great relationship” with Axelrod. Holder said Axelrod never encouraged him to hire anyone at the Justice Department.
“We worked together on the campaign and when he was in the White House, and he’s never done anything that I would consider inappropriate,” Holder said.
“There’s a political dimension to my job as Attorney General,” Holder said. “I don’t sit up in an ivory tower and just do law enforcement, I am the subject of attacks, I’m a person who is seen by some as pretty controversial, and there are times — at least there was that time — that I was looking for some help in that regard.”
