In his first speech as attorney general, Merrick Garland sought to assert the independence the Department of Justice would seek under the Biden administration.
“The only way we can succeed and retain the trust of the American people is to adhere to the norms that have become part of the DNA of every Justice Department employee,” Garland said, nodding to complaints that the department became deeply politicized under former President Trump.
Garland was confirmed Wednesday with a highly bipartisan 70-30 vote and is set to be ceremonially sworn in Thursday evening by Vice President Harris.
“Those norms require that like cases be treated alike. That there not be one rule for Democrats, and another for Republicans; one rule for friends and another for foes; one rule for the powerful and another for the powerless; one rule for the rich and another for the poor; or different rules, depending upon one’s race or ethnicity,” Garland told employees from the Justice Department’s Great Hall.
Garland will have to balance rebuilding the agency with a wide-ranging domestic terrorism probe and controversial policy fights on issues such as police reform and immigration.
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“The only way we can succeed and retain the trust of the American people is to adhere to the norms that have become part of the DNA of every Justice Department employee,” newly-confirmed attorney general Merrick Garland said. https://t.co/bN565j8QEO
— The Hill (@thehill) March 11, 2021
I certainly hope so. We had enough of the AG and the DOJ functioning as Trump’s personal attorneys and weapons against his enemies.
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