Attorney General Eric Holder To Resign From Obama Administration

The Obama administration announced Thursday that its Attorney General Eric Holder will be resigning from his position after six years with the Justice Department.

President Obama will reportedly announced Holder's departure during a press conference later on Thursday. The attorney general will reportedly stay with the Justice Department until a suitable successor is announced, a process that could last into the next year.

The Associated Press reports that some possible successors to Holder, the fourth longest-serving attorney general in U.S. history, include Solicitor General Don Verrilli, California Attorney General Kamala Harris and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, among others.

According to NPR, Holder has reportedly been "adamant" in his goal of stepping down from his post out of concern that waiting any longer may force him to serve for the rest of Obama's presidency. Holder has held the attorney general position for the past six years, marking his time with civil rights advancements, counter-terrorism efforts and combatting the financial crisis.

A Justice Department official told NPR that during the Thursday evening press conference, the 63-year-old Holder will describe his time as attorney general as the "greatest honor" of his professional career. Before becoming attorney general in 2009, Holder served as a judge and prosecutor.

One of Holder's most notable contributions to the Obama administration was his dedication to criminal justice reform. The attorney general told The Huffington Post in an interview earlier year that he did not have a definitive date for when he would step down from his political position.

"In terms of my own thinking of how long do I stay […] I talk about tasks and trying to see certain things through," Holder said. "I want to try to get a few things done before I ultimately leave."