United States Attorney General
The United States Attorney General is a Cabinet member in charge of the Department of Justice and as such, is often considered the chief law enforcement officer of the United States of America. However this has changed in the last decade with the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, as many of the bodies traditionally overseen by the Attorney General are now under the purview of the Secretary of Homeland Security. Despite this decrease in power, all prosecutorial power has been retained and the Attorney General supervises all United States Attorneys. The current Attorney General is Eric Holder who has served since 2009 when he succeeded Michael Mukasey. By virtue of office, Holder is 7th in the presidential line of succession. Holder is the first African American to become Attorney General.
The position of Attorney General has a long history and was one of the first four Cabinet positions created by George Washington, who appointed Edmund Randolph as the first occupant.
Attorneys General of the United States
Name | Term of Office | |
---|---|---|
Edwin Meese III | February 25, 1985 | August 12, 1988 |
Richard Thornburgh | August 12, 1988 | August 15, 1991 |
William Barr | November 26, 1991 | January 20, 1993 |
Janet Reno | March 12, 1993 | January 20, 2001 |
John Ashcroft | February 2, 2001 | February 3, 2005 |
Alberto Gonzales | February 3, 2005 | September 17, 2007 |
Michael Mukasey | November 9, 2007 | January 20, 2009 |
Eric Holder | January 26, 2009 |