US Attorney stepping down after Edwards' indictment - KABC

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina since June 2006 offered his resignation on Friday.

George E.B. Holding's announcement comes just one week after a federal grand jury indicted former North Carolina senator and presidential candidate John Edwards.

Following the indictment, Sen. Kay Hagan turned in Holding's blue slip, which means she stopped supporting him. Thomas Walker has since been appointed to the position.

"It is now time to move forward expeditiously with the nomination of Thomas Walker for U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. ... In the interest of avoiding even the appearance of partisanship in federal prosecutions, I also asked the White House to allow the sitting U.S. Attorney to complete pending investigations into public officials. Finally, those investigations are complete," Hagan said in a statement last Friday.

In 2009, President Barack Obama asked Hagan to start looking for Holding's successor, who was a Bush administration appointee and term was set to expires the following year.

However, Hagan said Holding should remain in place until after an investigation of former North Carolina Governor Mike Easley.

"I've talked to the White House about it. That's up to the president. I don't want to politicize this. I do think, it is my feeling that George Holding should stay on until these investigations are over with," said Hagan in May 2009.

North Carolina Republican leader Linda Daves backed Hagan saying that Holding was leading the charge against corruption in state government and replacing him at that time with a Democrat with ties to the Easley administration would have sent the wrong signal.

On Friday, Holding released a statement regarding his departure.

"It is an honor and a privilege to serve as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. I came to the United States Attorney's Office in March of 2002 with the mission of making this office into one of the best law firms in North Carolina. We have succeeded," the statement read. "The people of eastern North Carolina should be confident that they have an excellent team of prosecutors and civil attorneys working tirelessly to enforce the laws and pursue justice. I am proud that during the past nine plus years, we have successfully addressed our national and district priorities, such as aggressive prosecution of violent criminals, child predators, drug traffickers, white collar criminals, would-be terrorists, and corrupt public officials."

Holding will be stepping down from his position effective July 8, 2011.

"Given the decision of the Department of Justice to have its Public Integrity Section prosecute the case against John Edwards, and U.S. Attorney George Holding's announcement that he is stepping down, I will return Thomas Walker's blue slip when the Senate reconvenes next week," Senator Richard Burr said.

Previously, Holding served as First Assistant U.S. Attorney during the tenure of former US Attorney Frank D. Whitney from 2002 to 2006.

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