Attorney general nominee Merrick Garland is likely to face numerous tests early on at the Department of Justice (DOJ) as the Biden administration looks to quickly turn the page on the Trump era.
The circuit court judge, who’s expected to be confirmed by the Senate this week, will inherit a Justice Department that had been mobilized to protect former President Trump‘s personal and political interests using sweeping theories of executive power.
That means Garland will be under the microscope from day one to see how he addresses the previous administration’s erosion of the DOJ’s independence. At his confirmation hearing last month, Garland pledged to lead the nation’s top law enforcement agency without political interference. Continue reading.