Biden could make a formal announcement on Thursday, The Associated Press reported. The former vice president selected Garland, 68, over U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, D-Ala., and Sally Yates, former deputy attorney general, Politico reported.
(The Center Square) – Presumptive President-elect Joe Biden plans to name United States Circuit Judge Merrick Garland as his attorney general, according to media reports.
Former President Barack Obama nominated Garland to the U.S. Supreme Court to fill a vacancy created followed Antonin Scalia’s death in 2016. However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., scuttled the nomination.
“Judge Garland will be viewed in a whole new light now,” CNN quoted a “top Biden ally” as saying.
President Bill Clinton nominated the Chicago-born Garland to the federal bench in 1997, according to Ballotpedia. Garland served as chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 2013 until February.
President Donald Trump later successfully nominated Neil Gorsuch to the nation’s top court, much to the dismay of liberals. Trump made three nominations to the U.S. Supreme Court.
“If media reports are accurate, I believe Judge Garland would be a sound choice to be the next Attorney General,” U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on Twitter. “He is a man of great character, integrity, and tremendous competency in the law.
Before joining the judiciary, Garland was principal associate deputy U.S. attorney general, CNN reported. In that role, he oversaw the investigation into the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.
According to USA Today and NBC News, Biden plans to name Lisa Monaco as deputy attorney general; Kristen Clarke to head the justice department’s Civil Rights Division; and Vanita Gupta as associate attorney general.
“He will be asked many questions regarding existing investigations that, in my view, need to continue,” Graham added. “I look forward to the confirmation process and will closely follow his answers.”
By Todd DeFeo | The Center Square
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Reposted with permission
