Senate Confirms Merrick Garland to be US Attorney General

The Senate has confirmed Merrick Garland as the next US Attorney General with a strong bipartisan vote, a position widely respected, as veteran judge by President Joe Biden to restore the Justice Department’s reputation for independence Swore

Democrats praised Mr. Garland, a federal appeals court judge who was snapped up by Republicans for a seat on the Supreme Court in 2016, as a highly qualified and honorable jurist who spent four years under the former president The latter is uniquely qualified to lead the department. Donald Trump. Many Republicans praised him, saying he had the right record and temperament for this time. The vote was 70–30.

Mr. Garland would now inherit a Justice Department embroiled in a turbulent era under Mr. Trump, who insisted that the Attorney General must be personally loyal to him, a position that damaged the department’s reputation. In the final month of Mr. Trump’s presidency, Attorney General William Burr resigned after denying Mr. Trump’s false claims that widespread electoral fraud had led to his defeat.

Mr. Trump’s pressure on officials, including Mr. Barr and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions about the department’s investigation into Russia’s own campaign, drew widespread criticism from Democrats for politicizing the country’s top enforcement enforcement agencies What did I see?

“Donald Trump spent four years – four long years – shattering the powers of the Department of Justice for his own political gain, treating the Attorney General like his own personal defense attorney, breathing US relief Maybe what we’re going to do is someone like Merrick Garland who led the Justice Department, “Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN, ahead of the vote. “Someone with integrity, independence, respect for the rule of law and credibility on both sides of the aisle.”

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell – who prevented Mr Garland from becoming Supreme Court Justice in 2016 when he withheld his nomination – said he was willing to confirm Mr Garland because of his “long standing reputation as a straight shooter and legal expert” Were voting for His “left-of-center approach” was still within the legal mainstream.

“Hopefully our incoming Attorney General said that there is a no nonsense approach to the serious challenges facing the Department of Justice and our nation,” Mr. McConnell said.

At his confirmation hearing in February, Mr. Garland sought to reassure lawmakers that the Justice Department would remain politically independent on his watch. He said his first priority would be to combat extremist violence with an initial focus on the Jan. 6 rebellion in the US Capitol, promising lawmakers that they would have whatever resources they needed to bring charges on the attack. Will provide

Mr. Garland will face immediate political challenges, including an ongoing criminal tax investigation into Mr. Biden’s son, Hunter, and a federal investigation into the foreign and business dealings of former New York City mayor and Trump’s aide, Rudy Giuliani, in the past. Was stopped Mr Trump called for re-election in the year due to a dispute about unsuccessful elections.

His confirmation also comes amid calls from several Democrats to interrogate Mr. Trump.

Separately, a special counsel at the core of Mr. Garland’s Russia investigation will also be responsible for overseeing the investigation, which overshadowed Mr. Trump’s presidency for more than two years. Mr. Garland must decide how to handle it and what to make public.

A veteran judge, Mr. Garland held senior positions in the Justice Department decades ago, including as an observer in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing prosecution that led to the murder of Timothy McVay. His experience in prosecuting domestic terrorism cases may prove to be exceptionally valuable as an investigation into the Capitol Rebellion progress.

The department’s priorities and message are expected to drastically change in the Biden administration, with more attention given to nationwide protests against civil rights issues, criminal justice excesses, and the death of black Americans at the hands of law enforcement.

That expected change prompted some republicans to oppose Mr. Garland’s nomination, including Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, who said he believed judges would be too soft on criminals and immigrants and “inside the department Embedded Left will empower radicals. ”

In his confirmation hearing, Mr. Garland emphasized his commitment to combating racial discrimination in policing, telling senators that America “still does not do equal justice.” He also said that he would give priority to facing the rise in extremist violence and domestic terrorist threats.

At one point of the hearing, he shed tears while speaking about his grandparents, who had fled Russia for terrorism and persecution against the US.

“The country took us, and protected us, and I feel an obligation to the country to pay back, and this is the highest, best use of my own set of skills to pay back. ” “So I want to be like a lot of the Attorney General that you are saying I can be, and I will try my best to be that type of Attorney General.”