Attorney General nominee Merrick Garland will pledge to lead the prosecution of those accused of the siege of the Capitol and pledge to solemn independence from President Biden at his confirmation hearing Monday.
Why it matters: As Attorney General, Judge Garland would oversee politically sensitive cases, including an investigation into the taxes of the president’s son, Hunter Biden, and another into the origins of the investigation into former President Trump’s dealings with Russia.
Driving the news: According to his prepared opening statement released Saturday night, Garland plans to tell the Senate Judiciary Committee that if confirmed, he will fight discrimination and domestic terrorism.
- He will highlight his career as a district attorney – most notably, his oversight of the investigation into domestic terrorist Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, which killed 168 people.
- Regarding the siege of the Capitol, Garland will say he intends to “ oversee the persecution of white supremacists and others who stormed the Capitol on January 6 – a gruesome attack that sought to disrupt a cornerstone of our democracy: the peaceful transfer of power to a newly elected government. “
- Regarding the independence of the attorney general, Garland will say, “The president appoints the attorney general as an attorney – not for an individual, but for the people of the United States.”
Background: Garland, 68, was born in Chicago and is a graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Law School, which has served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit since 1997.
- He was nominated by President Obama in 2016 to succeed the late Judge Antonin Scalia.
- But then Senate Leader Mitch McConnell prevented this, insisting that the replacement be elected by the newly elected president later that year. Judge Neil Gorsuch was later confirmed under the Trump administration instead.
Read Garland’s full opening statement via DocumentCloud:
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story. Please check again for updates.