Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. on Tuesday sharply criticized the Boy Scouts of America’s policy that bans gay scout leaders, calling it “a relic of an age of prejudice and insufficient understanding.” In remarks to the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, a gay-rights group, Mr. Holder said, “The continuation of a policy that discriminates against gay adult leaders, by an iconic American institution, only preserves and perpetuates the worst kind of stereotypes.” There is little Mr. Holder can do to oppose the policy. The Supreme Court ruled in 2000 that the Boy Scouts have a constitutional right to ban gay members.