Government

Merrick Garland Finally Gets His Confirmation

He may not be a Supreme Court justice, but his work as attorney general will be pretty important.

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(Photo by Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)

America can breathe a sigh of relief that we’re finally going to have someone like Merrick Garland leading the Justice Department. Someone with integrity, independence, respect for the rule of law and credibility on both sides of the aisle. He understands that the job of the attorney general is one to protect rule of law, unlike the previous attorneys general under President Trump.

— Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), in comments given before the Senate voted to confirm Merrick Garland as attorney general in a bipartisan vote of 70-30. Garland, a veteran of the Justice Department, brings decades of experience as a federal appellate judge to his new role. Almost five years ago, he was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Barack Obama, but he was blocked by the Republican-controlled Senate, which refused to consider his nomination or give him a hearing.

Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.

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