Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York,
Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, is a contender for the post of US Attorney General, in the wake of incumbent Eric Holder announcing his resignation, which was confirmed earlier on Friday by the Justice Department.
Holder will leave his position once the successor is named, according to Politico, which also released a short-list of contenders, which has Bharara and Harris in the fray.
Bharara, an Obama appointee, is one of the sharpest legal luminaries in the administration and has earned a name for himself in New York City as a man who means business in cleaning the city of corruption. He too has been touted as Governor material.
The Senate is out of session through the midterm elections, setting up a confirmation showdown that likely would come in the lame-duck session, especially if Democrats lose the majority. Under the current Democratic majority, Holder’s successor could breeze toward passage, given that most presidential nominees now need just 51 votes to clear a filibuster.